Archive of Our Own ^beta

fade in

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility - day

A single clone, THOMAS, in plain white clone trooper armor is pacing nervously back and forth in the stark white, nearly featureless hallway. He doesn't pace very far, always coming back to the same place. He stops, fidgeting with his armor, looking up and down the hallway like he's expecting someone, but he is alone.

Then - an opening appears in the smooth white surface of the wall right in front of him. Before it opened, not even a crack was visible, but now it opens wide enough to reveal...

GALLY, another clone in clone trooper armor, but his bears the signs of having been used and customized. There are green accents on the chest and helmet, which he carries under his arm, as well as multiple scratches and dings marring the otherwise smooth surface.

Gally

Are you clone trooper TM-1512?

Thomas

Yes

Gally

Follow me.

Thomas follows Gally through the newly-opened doorway and through a short passageway into a large room that resembles a barracks. There are ten clone troopers, including Thomas and Gally, and at least twenty bunk beds, indicating that maybe there used to be a lot more troopers in this squad.

Gally

(to the group)

Everyone, meet the new Greenie!

(to Thomas)

Welcome to Clone Force 250, Greenie.

Thomas looks around at all the other clones who are looking back at him with undisguised interest. He looks like he is trying to think of something to say but is coming up short.

Zart

It's been a while since we've had a new Greenie.

Gally

Yeah, well, I guess they finally decided to give us some new droid fodder. I give this one three weeks, tops.

The clone nearest to Thomas and Gally, ALBY, is wearing a single shoulder pauldron that indicates he is the Captain of this squad. His armor and the helmet under his arm have green accents, just like Gally's and everyone else in the room except Thomas. It is clearly the chosen color of Clone Force 250 to help them identify each other.

Alby

Now Gally, is that any way to welcome our new squadmate? You're going to scare him off!

(to Thomas)

Do you have a name, Greenie? What's your designation?

Thomas

TM-1512, but my training squad called me Thomas.

Alby

Thomas, it's nice to meet you! I'm Alby, your new Captain. Have you been briefed?

Thomas

All they told me was that I would be joining my permanent squad today and where to go.

Alby

(aside, to Gally)

What did I tell you, the new clones are getting less and less prep time. I don't know what they think they're doing, sending us underprepared troops who don't know what they're doing and end up getting themselves -

(cuts himself off, looking to Thomas)

I mean, I know it's not your fault, but they're just not training troopers the way they used to, and if you're not prepared you'll be a danger to yourself and your squad.

Thomas

(defending himself)

Look, just because I wasn't told anything about the squad doesn't mean I don't know anything, I have completed basic training, and I got pretty good marks actually!

Alby

(shaking his head)

You'll find out soon enough that marks don't count for much in the real world, at least not on the kind of assignments we get sent on. If you'd been briefed properly, you would have been told this, but Clone Force 250 is a... unique group.

Gally

What Alby means is, we get all the most dangerous assignments that no one else is willing or able to take on. And we have one of the highest mortality rates for any clone trooper squad, which is saying something, since clones were pretty much designed to be expendable anyway.

Alby

Not under my watch. Casualties may be unavoidable in some situations, but I've made it my goal as Captain to make sure each of my troopers are prepared to the highest possible level, so they can handle anything thrown at them, and as a squad we can execute missions with as few casualties as possible.

Thomas looks like he wants to defend himself and his worthiness to be part of Clone Force 250 more but he's interrupted by another clone, NEWT, who steps in and puts his hand on Thomas's shoulder.

Newt

(to Alby)

Weren't you just saying you had a meeting to get to? With Ava and that bounty hunter, about the training regimen? That's who you should be taking your concerns to, people who can actually do something about it.

Alby

You're right, as usual.

(to Thomas)

Sorry I don't have time to give you the tour, but I'll leave that to my second-in-command Newt here. He'll see to it that you learn everything you need to know...

(to Newt now)

...won't he?

Newt nods, and Alby leaves through the same door Thomas and Gally entered. Newt still has his hand on Thomas's arm, in a friendly and casual way, like they've known each other for years instead of minutes. As soon as Alby leaves, he turns to Thomas.

Newt

Don't worry about Alby, he's just dealing with a lot at the moment. He was only just promoted to Captain a few weeks ago, actually, after we lost Nick, and you're our first Greenie in months even though we've lost three experienced clones this month alone. Alby's just trying to figure out how to get this squad back into the best shape it can be. He's a first-rate trooper, and I'm sure he'll make a great Captain, but he likes things done a certain way, and he can get a bit irritated when they're not. He always means well, even if he doesn't communicate it in the best way.

Thomas

What was he talking about, that new clones have had less training? Is that true?

Newt

An occupational hazard of being a clone trooper in the new Galactic Empire, unfortunately. Between putting down rebellions and the Flare, it seems like we're running through troopers faster than new ones can be trained. So they start cutting corners.

Thomas

(frowning)

Wait, so the Flare is real? I thought it was a myth.

Newt

Did someone tell you that?

Thomas

No, but isn't it a pretty big coincidence that no one ever contracts the Flare on Kamino, we only hear about clones supposedly dying from it somewhere far away, when it could have been anything that actually killed them? I always figured it was the Kaminoans trying to control us, by keeping us in fear of something. You know, 'do what you're told or you'll catch this deadly, incurable disease'. Like a kind of boogeyman.

Newt

So you don't trust the Kaminoans?

Thomas

Do you?

Newt

(smiling)

That's a good question. And I don't entirely disagree with you; but unfortunately, you are wrong about one thing: the Flare is very real. I've seen friends die from it myself. Whatever it is, it's not a myth.

Newt claps Thomas on the back and steers him away from the door, towards one of the groups of clones lounging on the bunk beds: ZART, CLINT, and FRYPAN. As Newt introduces Thomas to the other clones in the squad, it is obvious that they're close and have been through a lot together: they're all very comfortable with each other, they have an easy shorthand, and unlike Thomas, their armor is all customized, always with similar green accents but also each clone has a different shape/sign to help distinguish them from each other even with their helmets on. Their armor has also obviously seen a lot of wear and tear. In contrast, Thomas's new, perfectly white armor highlights how inexperienced he is.

Newt

(cont'd)

Anyway, I'm supposed to be giving you the grand tour! This here is Zart, Clint, and Frypan. Clint is our squad medic, and Frypan considers himself something of a cook.

Frypan

I don't just consider myself a cook, I am a cook. Believe me, you'll be glad I'm there when we're stuck on some remote planet for days and you get tired of the sad excuse for rations they give us.

Clint

And I'm the one who will patch you up when you inevitably injure yourself. No offense, but you look like the kind of guy who will be seeing me a lot.

Thomas tries and fails not to look offended.

Zart

That armor is blinding, Greenie. We're gonna have to get you some color to put on there!

Thomas

I was told customizing armor is against the rules - that the Empire favors conformity over individuality for its soldiers...

Zart

(waving his hand dismissively)

That may be true for the rest of the Imperial army, but they pretty much let us do whatever we want.

(grinning)

Maybe they figure we're going to die so soon anyway, it's not worth the trouble.

Newt leads him to the next group of clones, which consists of BEN and WINSTON, who have been joined by Gally after Alby left.

Newt

This is Winston, he's by far our best sniper. And Ben, he's usually one of the two sent on recon when we need it. One of our best runners.

Winston and Ben both give a friendly wave as Newt introduces them.

Newt

(cont'd)

And of course, you've already met Gally.

Gally does not wave. He glares.

Thomas

He must have forgotten to introduce himself.

(to Gally)

Nice to meet you, Gally.

He holds out his hand for a handshake but Gally pointedly ignores it, until Ben smacks his arm in a playfully chastising way, and then Gally rolls his eyes and shakes Thomas's hand.

Thomas

(aside to Newt, as they are turning away)

Is it just me, or does Gally already hate me?

Newt

Don't worry, he's like that with everyone when he first meets them. He just takes a while to grow on you, but when he does, you couldn't ask for a more loyal friend.

Newt and Thomas reach the last clone who hasn't been introduced: MINHO. He's sitting by himself, slightly apart from the others, and unlike them hasn't said a word the entire time since Thomas entered the barracks. He's playing some kind of single-player card game, and instead of a typical deck of cards, the pictures are all of different species of aliens. He looks up with brief interest at Thomas when they approach, but after only a few seconds returns to his card game, seemingly bored.

Newt

(cont'd)

And last but not least, we have Minho. He's the other one who gets sent on recon, or on any assignment where being fast is an asset. He's the fastest one here, can run circles around any of us.

Minho looks up at Newt, and Newt smiles at him as if sharing some private joke. Thomas looks between them like he wishes he could be in on the joke as well.

After a moment, Newt turns back to Thomas and puts his arm around Thomas's shoulders again. Thomas does not look displeased about how physically affectionate Newt is.

Newt

Don't worry, Greenie. By the time Alby gets back, I'll make sure you're completely up to speed on everything you need to know about Clone Force 250. Any questions?

Thomas grins. Boy, does he have questions. He opens his mouth to start asking them.

cut to

Int. Clone Force 250 barracks - day

A short time later, the squad is still sitting around entertaining themselves. Alby has returned, and he doesn't look happy about how the meeting went. Alby checks a notebook where he keeps track of information and notes about the squad.

Alby

Hey Winston, when was your last vitamin shot?

Winston

(looking up from a hologram device he was playing with)

Huh? Oh, I dunno, maybe a week or so?

Alby

(sighing)

You know you're supposed to get them every week on the dot, trooper?

Winston

(shrugs)

They're just vitamins. What's the big deal?

Alby

The big deal is that I need my soldiers to be healthy and functioning to the best of their ability, not vitamin-deficient and ailing!

Winston

(standing in a huff)

Fine, I'll go get it right now.

Alby

Clint, go with him and make sure he actually gets it.

Winston and Clint leave for the medical bay, Winston still looking disgruntled.

Newt

You know what we should do?

Alby

(under his breath)

Actually get some discipline around here?

Newt

We should show the Greenie how to play Cahoots!

(turning to Thomas)

You've never played Cahoots before, have you?

Thomas

No, what is it? Some kind of card game?

Gally

It's a chance for Newt to show off, is what it is.

Many of the other clones chime in agreement with Gally.

Newt

(with a sly smile)

Cahoots is a very special game. It's been played by Clone Force 250 since before I was assigned here - before any of us were assigned here.

Thomas

What are the rules?

Newt

We can't tell you the rules. You have to figure them out for yourself.

Thomas

What? But if I don't know the rules, how can I play?

Newt

How indeed?

Frypan

Would you stop torturing the poor kid and just show him how it works?

Newt nods and turns to Minho.

Newt

Minho, do you mind stepping out of the room for a minute?

Minho rolls his eyes but does as Newt asks and leaves.

Newt

(whispering)

Now we pick an object, without Minho knowing what it is.

Thomas looks around the room.

Thomas

(quietly)

What about... Gally's helmet?

Newt

(still whispering)

No, something more difficult. Otherwise it could be a lucky guess.

Ben

(also whispering)

It could be a lucky guess once or twice. Not when he gets it right every time.

Newt just smiles and looks to Thomas. Thomas looks around the room again, really studying the details now. He latches onto the bunk beds.

Thomas

(still quiet)

How about... the third slat on the bottom of that bed?

He points to the bottom bunk that's fourth from the corner. There are nods of appreciation from everyone, and Newt accepts this selection.

Newt

(voice raised)

Minho, darling? You can come back in now.

Minho re-enters the room.

Minho

You know I don't like it when you call me darling. It sounds stupid.

Newt

Yes, dear.

Minho

If anything, that one's worse.

Newt

What would you prefer, beloved?

Minho

I would prefer you don't call me anything.

Newt

But how will everyone know of my endless affection for you?

Gally

(snarky)

Believe me, we know. Just quit flirting and get started already.

Everyone falls quiet. Thomas looks around, wondering what is supposed to be happening. There's some scattered, hushed laughing, and shushing noises, and then after a very long pause, Newt speaks again.

Newt

Are we in cahoots?

Thomas looks around some more to see how the others react; he has no idea what this means. But the others are watching Newt and Minho closely.

Minho

Yes.

Newt starts listing objects, and Minho responds quickly, sometimes almost before Newt has finished speaking. Occasionally the other clones will chuckle at one of Newt's more outlandish suggestions, but otherwise they stay focused on Newt and Minho. It's clear they take this game pretty seriously.

Newt

Is it Winston's holo-projector?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it Gally's helmet?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it Alby's notebook?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it the mattress of the second top bunk bed from the corner?

Minho

No.

Newt

(holding up a card from Minho's deck)

Is it this card?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it Ben's right glove?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it Ben's left glove?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it Frypan's ladle?

Minho

No.

Newt

(pointing to a desk)

Is it the front left leg of that desk?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it the smallest fingernail on Zart's right hand?

Minho

No.

Newt

Is it the third slat on the bottom bunk bed that's fourth from the corner?

Minho

(this time with a dramatic pause for effect)

Yes.

The room erupts into shouts.

Thomas

But... they must have used some kind of signal!

Frypan

Ah, but what signal?

Thomas thinks hard for a moment but can't figure it out.

Thomas

I need to see it again. Maybe he counts a certain number of objects?

Ben

Nope, that's not it. They change the number of objects every time. Once he even said it as the very first object, and Minho still got it right.

Frypan

It used to be -

Zart

(interrupting)

Shh!! Don't tell the Greenie! Now that there's someone who doesn't know it, we can play the old way again!

Frypan nods in agreement with Zart and turns to explain to Thomas.

Frypan

When we first played this game, we learned from the older clone troopers from Clone Force 250, and it was a different signal, but once we all figured it out, we had to change it, because it's only fun to play if some people don't know the signal. The problem is, we play this game a lot, so everyone eventually figured out all the signals.

Gally

(gesturing to Newt and Minho)

Then the freak twins somehow came up with some unbeatable signal, and now they're the only ones who can play. We've been at it for ages, but none of us can figure out how they do it.

Ben

I actually had an idea about that!

Everyone groans.

Zart

Again with the crazy conspiracy theories, Ben?

Ben

No, this one makes sense, you'll see! What if, when they were growing, they were in the same pod, and maybe they were in neighboring tanks, and some lines got crossed and some of their brains got swapped, and now they can read each other's minds?

Everyone groans again, louder than before. Newt is silently laughing and even Minho looks a little pleased with himself.

Gally

Ben, no offense, but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. For one thing, if they were in the same pod, they would have the same genetic material.

Ben

(pouting)

Oh yeah, I forgot that. But I still think they must be reading each other's minds somehow. How else do you explain it?

Gally

It's just a really clever signal, that's all. But no signal is perfectly undetectable, and I won't rest until I figure out what it is.

At this moment, Winston and Clint return from getting Winston's shots. Clint looks around and sees the general atmosphere, and that Newt and Minho are standing a bit apart.

Clint

Oh, are we playing Cahoots? I want a turn, I've been working on a new signal with Winston, I think it's going to be really tough to guess.

Gally

Is it that you fart when saying the object?

There's a brief pause.

Clint

(outraged)

That was one time, and I already told you it was an accident, and it wasn't even the signal!

Everyone erupts into laughter, and multiple conversations start up at once. Thomas can be seen watching Newt and Minho, looking like he's pondering some question in his mind, or wishing he could be included in their game. The unasked questions hover on the tip of his tongue: are they together? Are they simply close friends? Is there room in this close-knit unit for him?

dissolve to

Begin montage:

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, armory - day

Newt, Frypan, and Winston help Thomas customize his armor, adding green accents so he fits in with the rest of the squad. The clones are wearing plain gray clothes instead of their armor, and Newt's prosthetic leg is visible from beneath the cut-off right trouser leg. The prosthetic is robotic-looking, but loosely imitates the shape of a human leg, and it goes up past the knee and disappears under the pant leg so it's unclear how high on his leg it goes. Thomas notices the prosthetic leg and his gaze lingers for just an extra second, but he doesn't say anything or ask about it.

Ext. Unknown forest planet - dusk

Thomas is on his first mission with his new squad. They're firing on an enemy sheltering behind trees, but no one looks that worried - it's a fairly routine mission. Thomas makes a tricky shot and earns praise and cheers from his squad.

Int. Clone Force 250 barracks - night

The squad is relaxing and unwinding after a long day; they have various parts of their armor removed, showing plain gray clothes underneath. Thomas is arm-wrestling Gally, and Gally is winning easily, but Thomas keeps challenging him. Finally it looks like Thomas might win one, but just as everyone starts paying attention, it turns out Gally was only playing with him and defeats him again, easily. Everyone laughs but Gally actually smiles and pats Thomas on the back, seemingly congratulating him for being a good sport.

Ext. Unknown water planet - day

Even though it's day, the lighting is dim because everyone is underwater. The squad is on another mission, but this one is not going well - they're under heavy attack, and unlike last time, the atmosphere is very tense and people look worried. They're in diving gear, and Ben takes a hit to his helmet, causing a crack and water starts flooding in. He's unconscious, and the water filling his diving suit starts to drag him to the bottom, a stream of bubbles floating up to show how much air he's losing. Thomas notices and dives down to save him, pulling him to the surface where he regains consciousness and starts coughing. Thomas helps him swim to the safety of a medic boat - he's going to be okay.

Ext. Unknown tropical planet - evening

The squad is apparently stranded on a beach, waiting for pickup. They are lounging around; some are playing games, others are sleeping. Some of the clones on lookout duty have removed helmets or other pieces of armor but Alby, who is still in full gear, can be seen reprimanding them and they reluctantly put their armor back on, even though they roll their eyes. Frypan is cooking something in a large stock pot, and he gives Thomas a taste. Thomas's eyes light up: he clearly loves whatever Frypan is making, and Frypan grins, satisfied. Suddenly shots are fired over the group and they scramble to take cover and fire back. One of the troopers who rolled their eyes at Alby earlier, Zart, takes a hit directly to his helmet but he's okay - thanks to Alby making him put his helmet back on. The squad takes shelter in a trench that they must have dug earlier in case something like this happened, and manage to take out all their attackers.

End montage

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, medical bay - day

Thomas, Newt, and Minho are sitting in a medical bay receiving injections into their arms from medical droids. CLOSE on the syringe injecting some mysterious clear liquid into Thomas's forearm. There's something about it that seems suspicious, although the clones are treating the injections like they are perfectly routine.

Alby enters and spots them, heads over.

Alby

Are those your vitamin shots for the week?

Newt

Yes, sir.

Alby

Then congratulations, you three get to go out on this assignment. There's been a distress call from the Kallea sector in the Outer Rim. It's probably a false alarm, some old communicator that's breaking down and accidentally triggered a distress call, but we have to check it out anyway.

Thomas, Newt, and Minho groan or show other signs that they don't want this mission - they think it will be boring.

Minho

But Captain, there's nothing in Kallea but a couple of gas planets and uninhabited moons! Why would anyone go there?

Alby

Come on, none of that. It'll be quick, at least - just need to be able to report back that we checked it out and it was nothing.

The three clones finish their medical check-ups and make their way to the hangar, where they board a Nu-class Attack Shuttle that looks like it has seen better days.

Newt pilots and Thomas is his copilot, while Minho sits in the back managing to look both annoyed and bored. They make the jump to hyperspace, and then settle in for a long trip.

cut to

Thomas, Newt, and Minho are playing with the same deck of cards that Minho was playing with when Thomas first met him, but this time they're playing a three-person game. Minho is winning.

Newt

(to Thomas)

I know he's cheating somehow, I just don't know how.

Minho

Am I cheating, or am I just better at this game than you?

Newt

Impossible. You must be cheating.

Thomas

Twi'leks are high, right?

Minho

Twi'leks were high last round, this round Zeltrons are high, Twi'leks are low.

Thomas

Oh. I'm definitely losing.

There's a beeping from the console. Newt gets up to look at it.

Newt

Looks like we made good time, we should be coming up on the Kallea sector soon. The distress call Alby showed us is coming from here.

A hologram displays a patch of space with almost nothing in it, only what looks like a few large rocks floating around. A red dot is blinking in the center to represent where the signal is coming from.

Minho

Great, looks like a whole lot of nothing. Let's get this over with.

They retake the seats they all had when they first got on board. The ship exits hyperspace, and the source of the distress call is revealed to be...

A Venator-class Star Destroyer. It's floating in space, apparently abandoned, and looks like it has taken quite a bit of damage. The clones are so surprised to see it there that for a moment they're all speechless.

Thomas

Is that...?

Newt

...a Republic cruiser?

Minho

What the hell is she doing out here? Weren't they all scrapped on Bracca after the Clone Wars?

Newt

I think there's still a few in the Imperial fleet, but I've never seen one.

Minho

You don't think someone could be on board, do you?

Thomas

Maybe it's raiders - lure people in with the distress call and then attack.

Newt

Or maybe it's like the Captain said, and it's just an old, faulty communicator. I'm sure there's more than a few old bits of tech on board.

(a brief pause)

But we should be on guard, just in case.

A series of shots showing the Attack Shuttle docking on the Star Destroyer, and Thomas, Newt, and Minho exiting the shuttle to board the destroyer.

Int. Venator-class Star Destroyer - outer space

Thomas, Newt, and Minho wander the hallways, helmets on and blasters at the ready, looking for any signs of life.

Minho

It'll take us forever to sweep the whole thing with just the three of us.

Thomas

I don't think we'll have to. Whoever activated that signal wants to be found, whether it's a trap or a genuine distress call.

Right when he finishes speaking, they hear a noise coming from just out of sight, like the clatter of something being knocked over followed by a few hasty footsteps.

The three clones raise their blasters and signal to each other: Newt goes first, with Thomas behind him, and Minho bringing up the rear. They go as quietly as they can towards where they heard the noise from: a doorway off the left side of the hall. They stand with their backs to the wall on either side of the doorway, Newt and Minho on the right, Thomas on the left, ready to enter. On Newt's signal, they turn and aim their blasters forward, charging through the doorway.

To their surprise, they see only one person: a Zabrak, female, probably adolescent - her horns have only just started to grow in, and her facial tattoos are simple, indicating it's only her first set. She looks scared. The clones wait a moment to see if she attacks them or does anything at all, but she only stands there.

Thomas

Are you the one who activated the distress call?

The Zabrak shakes her head. She backs away from them, cowering. The clones take a few more cautious steps forward, lowering their blasters and trying not to look threatening.

Thomas

Hey, it's okay, we're not going to hurt you.

He takes off his helmet to show his face.

Newt

(warning)

Thomas -

Thomas

It's okay, Newt. She won't do anything, she's just a kid. I just want to calm her down.

He takes another few steps toward the Zabrak, holding his hand out as if to a frightened animal.

Suddenly, a voice speaks behind them.

Unknown Man

She might not do anything -

Thomas, Newt, and Minho whirl around to see - someone snuck up behind them while they were focused on the Zabrak girl, and they've been caught in the trap that was planned all along. He's standing in the doorway, holding a blaster aimed at them. He looks almost entirely human except for the bright electric blue sclera of his eyes.

Unknown Man

(cont'd)

- but I will.

Before they can react, he shoots all three of them with his blaster, and they fall unconscious.

Fade to black

Fade in

Int. Venator-class Star Destroyer, medical bay - outer space

Thomas regains consciousness to find he is lying on what looks like a cot in a medical bay of the Star Destroyer, with Newt and Minho also on cots next to him. All three of them now have subtle but noticeable scars on the right side of their heads, with a small patch of hair shaved just around it. The room is small; the three cots are barely able to fit into it because a large machine is taking up most of the room. The machine resembles an MRI machine but larger and more extensive, and there are screens showing scans of Thomas, Newt, and Minho's brains that must have been taken while they were unconscious. Newt and Minho are already sitting up, but by the way they are groggily rubbing their heads, it doesn't look like they've been conscious for long.

Newt

Welcome back to the land of the living.

Thomas

(also groggy)

What happened? We were ambushed - why aren't we dead?

Rex

(off-camera)

Because we didn't trick you into coming here to kill you.

REX, former Captain of the 501st Clone Battalion, walks through an open doorway. He's still wearing his old armor with the blue pauldron and blue accents. The distinctive tally marks are visible on the helmet he carries under his arm. He looks a little older than he did at the end of the Clone Wars, but not much. Thomas, Newt, and Minho turn to face him.

Rex

(cont'd)

We brought you here to save you.

Thomas

Save us? From what? What are you talking about?

Jorge

(off-camera, but his voice is the unknown man who shot them)

From the Empire.

JORGE walks in behind Rex and steps up beside him. Thomas, Newt, and Minho can also see the Zabrak girl peeking out from behind his elbow.

Minho

(to Rex)

You... you're a generation one clone! I didn't think there were any of you left!

Rex

(smiling)

Oh, come on, you're making me feel old!

(a pause)

But you're right. The Empire got rid of most of us, once we had outlived our usefulness. And you should know they'll do the same to you.

Thomas, Newt, and Minho can't think of anything to say in reply to this. They look at each other hesitantly, then look back to Rex and Jorge.

Rex

(cont'd)

We have a lot to tell you. Come with us, and we can discuss everything somewhere a little more comfortable.

Int. Venator-class Star Destroyer, bridge - outer space

With the backdrop of the star field seen through the huge front windows of the Star Destroyer, they are arranged in two groups sitting across from each other: Thomas, Newt, and Minho on one side, Rex, Jorge, and BRENDA (the Zabrak girl) on the other. Brenda fidgets in her seat, and the flap of her jacket is pulled back to reveal something that looks suspiciously like a lightsaber handle. It's only visible for a split second, but it's a very distinct type of weapon. Thomas clocks it, but says nothing, only watches Brenda closely. Brenda looks up and sees him watching. Her hand strays to her hip as if reaching for the weapon, but she stops herself. It's obvious she's wondering if he saw it.

Rex

I suppose first we should introduce ourselves. I'm Rex, and these are my friends Jorge and Brenda.

Thomas

I'm Thomas.

Newt

(giving a friendly wave with his hand)

Newt

Minho

(shortly)

Minho

While Thomas and Newt look like they're starting to warm up to their new acquaintances, Minho still looks mistrustful.

Rex

Let's see, where to start.

(rubbing his chin thoughtfully)

I still haven't gotten used to this yet.

Newt

Gotten used to what?

Rex

Explaining everything after they wake up.

Thomas

So you've done this before? But why? And what exactly did you do to us while we were out?

While he's talking, Thomas touches the scar on the side of his head almost absent-mindedly. Rex looks grateful for Thomas's questions, since they give him somewhere to start.

Rex

While you were unconscious, we performed a surgical procedure to remove the chips in your brains that the Kaminoans implanted during the third stage of your embryonic development in the cloning facility.

Thomas opens his mouth, about to speak, but Rex holds up a hand to quiet him before he can.

Rex

(cont'd)

I know it's a lot, to wake up and find out you've had a surgical procedure done without your knowledge or permission. Believe me, I wish there was another way. But the chips are that dangerous. It's how the Emperor, back when he was still the Chancellor, made the clones carry out Order 66 and exterminate the Jedi. They can make you do anything they want with those chips: kill your best friend, even.

(with tears in his eyes and voice thick with emotion)

I had brothers who... did terrible things because of those chips. We attacked people we had fought alongside for years... people who trusted us... and we were aware the entire time, but couldn't do anything to stop it...

He trails off, unable to continue for a moment. Then he clears his throat and goes on.

Rex

(cont'd)

So I've made it part of my mission to remove the chips from any clones I come across. After that, at least, the choice of what you do is up to you. You can go back to the Empire, or you can desert and try to build a life for yourself, or you can even join those fighting against the Empire. You can even try to turn us in, if you want; but be warned, we'll be long gone by the time the Imperial fleet makes it out here.

Jorge

Most of them make a run for it, when given the chance. But a few have remained loyal to the Empire and tried to give us up, and as you can see, we're still here.

He stands up and walks right up to Thomas, staring him in the eyes, his face only a foot away.

Jorge

(cont'd)

And don't even think about saying you'll join us, and then betraying us to the Empire. You wouldn't be the first to try it, and it won't work out for you any better than it did for them. We always know when people are lying. Always.

Jorge holds eye contact for a few extra seconds, and then finally backs down. He rejoins his friends. Thomas's eyes flick over to see Brenda is watching him very closely.

Rex

We're sorry for the deception we used to get you here. But I'm hoping you'll understand now, that it was necessary.

Thomas, Newt, and Minho all look at each other, as if debating silently how to react to all this information. Newt shrugs, Thomas gives a half-smile, and Minho nods, deciding to speak for all of them with their implicit permission.

Minho

Well, I'm not crazy about getting brain surgery without knowing about it, but I'm also not crazy about walking around with one of those mind-control chips in my brain, so I guess we can let this one slide. We won't rat you out, either, whatever else we decide to do.

Newt

(to Jorge)

You're good. Not many people could get the jump on three clones at once. We didn't even have a chance to fire a shot.

Jorge

(with a cocky smile)

That's because I'm the fastest trigger this side of the Mid Rim. Nobody outshoots me.

Rex

So, what will you do now? Have you decided yet?

Thomas, Newt, and Minho look at each other again.

Minho

It's strange to think, after everything, we could just walk away from the Empire now...

Newt

Our entire lives we've been told that war and fighting was our only purpose. To think we could just choose a peaceful life... it's a tempting thought. I can see why a lot of clones would choose that option.

Rex

So is that what you want? To go build your own life, away from the Empire?

Thomas

Wait.

Newt and Minho turn to look at him, waiting to see what he has to say.

Thomas

(cont'd)

I know this is going to sound crazy but... I think we have to go back.

Newt

What? Why? We don't owe the Empire anything! We can finally choose what we want for ourselves. We can be free! Why would we go back?

Thomas

(looking steadfastly into Newt's eyes)

Our friends... we have to go back for our friends. They're all still under the control of the Empire. We can't just leave them, can we? I mean...

(looking to Minho now)

If one of them had been saved, instead of us, wouldn't you want them to come back for us?

Newt and Minho are silent for a moment, thinking. They look at each other, once again giving the impression that they are having some telepathic conversation that Thomas isn't privy to. Sometimes he's on the same wavelength as them, but this time, they have a connection all their own, reminding Thomas that they've known each other so much longer than he's known them.

Minho

(softly, just to Newt)

If you want to leave, I'll go with you.

Newt smiles softly. He already knew, but it's nice to hear it anyway. Finally he turns back to Thomas.

Newt

We're with you, Tommy. Let's go back for our friends.

Rex

We can give you schematics of where the brain chips are located. They're tricky little buggers to find, unless you know exactly what to look for. They can only be detected by a Level 5 atomic brain scan.

Thomas

(smiling broadly now that he knows Newt and Minho are with him)

The medical bay in the cloning facility in Tipoca City will have all the equipment we need for the procedure - it shouldn't be too hard, should it, to get someone there alone if it's not a busy time of day? Maybe we can program one of the medical droids to help us, too.

Minho

And after we save the whole squad, then what?

Thomas

Then... then we can do whatever we want, go anywhere we want. I'm sorry, I know it'll be tough going back and pretending like nothing has changed when the whole galaxy has opened up, but...

Newt

(quietly)

...our friends are worth it.

Newt and Thomas share a quiet moment of agreement.

Rex, Jorge, and Brenda accompany Thomas, Newt, and Minho back to their shuttle. Rex gives Newt a memory drive that must contain the schematics of the chip location that he promised.

Rex

Well, good luck to you. I think it's admirable to want to save your friends, and I hope... I hope it works out for you. As a couple of good friends of mine used to say: May the Force be with you.

Thomas

(remembering something)

Oh, before we go, one more thing.

Jorge

What's that?

Thomas

Catch!

In a flash, he hurls a grenade directly at Brenda's face. There are gasps of surprise and outrage, but then:

The grenade hasn't hit her. Brenda stopped it, using the Force, and is standing with her hands outstretched and the grenade impossibly floating in air in front of her, caught in the act.

Brenda drops her hands and lets the grenade fall to the ground, disgusted. Jorge draws his blaster, murder in his eyes, but Brenda holds out her arm to stop him.

Brenda

Relax, Jorge. He didn't even activate it. It was a trick, and I fell for it.

(grinning at Thomas)

I guess you think that's payback for how I tricked you earlier, huh?

Thomas

(in awe)

You're a Jedi!

Brenda

Not quite. I was a padawan.

(looking down, sobered by the memory of past trauma)

Until Order 66.

Jorge

(upset with Brenda now, clearly worried for her safety)

How many times have I told you not to use the Force in front of outsiders? Especially Imperial troops?

Brenda

It wasn't my fault, it's a reflex! Besides, he already knew. I thought I saw him catch a glimpse of my lightsaber earlier, but I was hoping I was being paranoid.

Thomas

I wasn't sure. That's why I had to catch you off-guard. I'm sorry.

(he grins)

But your secret's safe with us. We promise not to tell anyone, right?

Newt and Minho both nod in quick agreement.

Newt

It would be a pretty poor way of repaying you for releasing us from the Empire's control, wouldn't it?

Jorge looks like he might rather shoot them anyway just to be sure, but after a look from Brenda he relents and puts away his blaster.

Brenda

(to Jorge)

You never let me do anything. I want to be able to help too, more than just being the stupid bait!

Jorge

And I've told you a thousand times, it's too dangerous! If anyone from the Empire caught even a whiff of an escaped Jedi, they'd have the Inquisitors after you like that!

He snaps his fingers to illustrate.

Brenda

I know the risks! I was there, Jorge! I saw what they did to my master! But the Force is a part of me, I can't just pretend it doesn't exist. And I can't sit back and let you do all the dangerous work.

Jorge sighs. This sounds like an argument they've had many times.

Jorge

You know if anything happened to you, I'd...

He trails off, unable to finish the thought out loud, but it doesn't matter.

Brenda

(gently)

I know.

Thomas looks guilty for starting this argument.

Thomas

I swear, we won't tell a soul. Not even anyone from our squad. We won't even mention that you were here at all.

Jorge looks to Brenda, silently asking what she thinks. Brenda considers Thomas carefully. She seems to be looking into his mind, deciding whether they can trust him or not. Finally she reaches a decision.

Brenda

It's ok. He's telling the truth; we can trust him.

Jorge

(resigned)

Well, can't put the milk back in the Bantha. No use crying about it now.

Brenda

Hey, Thomas?

Thomas

Yeah?

Brenda

If you ever need anything... well, I can't promise you'll be able to reach us, but if we do ever hear from you... we'll do whatever we can to help.

Thomas

(surprised but grateful)

Thank you.

Thomas, Newt, and Minho board their Attack Shuttle and take off.

dissolve to

Ext. Unknown jungle planet - dusk

Although the jungle can be seen in the distance behind them, where the clone troopers are, everything has been hacked away and trenches have been dug for cover, creating huge swathes of barren no-man's land. Bombs and shots are raining down, dropping at random, causing chaos and destruction.

In contrast to the earlier battles shown in montage, in which the danger was always slightly at a distance even when things were going wrong, in this battle everything is louder and dirtier and more immediate.

The clones of Clone Force 250, fully armored up, are advancing slowly but surely across the battlefield. Alby and Minho are absent, and Newt is in charge. The clones are talking to each other through the comms in their helmets, giving their voices a faint static sound. Newt is issuing commands, telling people when to move ahead and when to take cover. Even with his voice coming through directly into their helmets, it's still hard to hear because of all the noise of battle.

The firing increases in intensity as they get closer, until they're pinned down, sheltering in foxholes, unable to go any further without risking being blown to smithereens.

Gally

We have to go back, we'll all be killed out here!

Newt

We can't! We have to take out that signal!

He points to a large satellite dish just behind the enemy line. Gally growls in frustration but doesn't argue back.

Thomas

I have an idea. I just need some cover.

He waits until there's a slight lull in enemy fire, then jumps up and makes a run for it. He's very fast; even in full clone trooper armor it's surprising how fast he can move.

When he gets close enough to the enemy line, he lobs some grenades into their trench, and while they're all running for cover he takes a flying leap over their trench, landing just as the grenades go off. The force of it nearly knocks him off his feet, but since the explosions were down in the trench he doesn't get hit by anything and manages to keep going.

The satellite dish is guarded by some battle droids. Thomas takes them out with a few quick shots of his blaster, dodging their return fire, and then tosses a grenade at the satellite dish. He takes cover behind the nearest debris, and a few seconds later, the grenade goes off, destroying the satellite dish.

If anything, the enemy fire now increases, and it's a while before he's able to get up and run back. This time instead of jumping it, he climbs down into the trench and fights off the few remaining enemies who survived his grenades, shooting some with his blaster and punching a few, then climbs back up the other side. He's obviously quite shaken by the explosion and the ongoing bombing, and seems a little off-balance, but he does his best.

When he makes it back to where the other clones are, still trying to lay down cover fire for him, he dives over the edge into shallow shelter, just as a particularly big explosion hits in front of them, almost exactly where Thomas was moments ago.

Most of the clones seem happy about what Thomas accomplished and encouraged that he was able to make it back, and although the atmosphere is still tense since they're still in the middle of battle, some of them congratulate him or clap him on the back. However, one person is not celebrating like the others: Newt. Once everyone is focused on shooting again, Thomas crawls over to where Newt is.

Thomas

Newt, what's wrong? I thought you'd be happy we finally took out the signal.

Newt

(tense and quiet)

Alby and Minho aren't back yet.

Thomas

(trying to be reassuring)

That doesn't mean anything... I'm sure they're on their way back now.

Newt

They should have been back hours ago. Something's wrong, I know it.

Thomas

They're both good at what they do. They're the best of the best. I'm sure nothing's wr-

Newt

(interrupting)

No, you don't understand, I don't think something is wrong, I know it is! I can feel it, in here -

Newt thumps his fist to his chest, just over his heart.

Newt

(cont'd)

Minho is in trouble. I know it. It's getting dark, and if they're not back by nightfall...

Thomas

(finishing Newt's thought)

...the Grievers.

(pauses)

Then let's go. Forget the mission, let's go bring them back. We'll figure out what to tell Command later.

Newt

(voice breaking)

I can't. When Alby's not here, I'm in charge - the others are counting on me, I can't just leave them...

Thomas

(putting his hand on Newt's shoulder)

It's okay. You stay and finish the mission; I'll go. I'll bring him back.

His head is so close to Newt's that their helmets are touching.

Thomas

(cont'd)

I promise. Listen to me, okay? I promise I'll bring him back.

Newt clutches at Thomas's hand and nods once.

Newt

(quietly)

Go.

Thomas jumps up again and turns to run, this time away from the battle site and towards the jungle.

Newt

(calling after him)

Thomas?

Thomas

(turning back)

Yeah?

Newt

Come back safe.

Thomas flashes a thumbs up at Newt and turns back around, running until he disappears into the jungle.

Ext. Unknown jungle planet - just before nightfall

Thomas runs through the jungle, following the path that Minho and Alby must have taken. The jungle is coming alive with the sounds of nighttime: insects, birds, unseen creatures chirping and growling and skittering. Out of the corner of his eye, Thomas can see flashes of something large scuttling behind the trees and vines, but he does his best to pretend it isn't there. Sometimes he stops and pulls out a holographic map to check his position, then puts it away and keeps running.

Finally, he stumbles across Minho, sitting on the ground, leaning with his back against a tree. Minho has removed his helmet, and it's lying on the ground next to him. By now, the light is mostly gone. Thomas runs up to him and stops, panting from exertion.

Thomas

Minho! What are you doing here? Where's Alby?

Minho

What does it look like? I'm giving up.

(sighing and leaning forward)

Alby's over there somewhere. He's hurt; I think his leg is broken.

He points off vaguely to the left. Thomas follows his hand and wanders off to find Alby. When he does, he's surprised by the state of him.

Thomas

(shouting back to Minho)

He's unconscious!

Minho

(also shouting)

Yeah, I told you he was hurt!

Thomas

How far did you have to carry him?

Minho

Dunno. A few miles? I thought I could make it. I was stupid. I should have just left him, but... I couldn't stop imagining the look on Newt's face if I came back without him, and then the look on his face when I explained that I left Alby behind to save myself...

(shaking his head)

He would have hated me. I'd rather die than have Newt hate me.

Thomas

I don't think Newt could ever hate you.

Minho doesn't answer; maybe he wants to believe what Thomas says is true, but can't quite convince himself.

Thomas grabs Alby's arms and heaves him up into a fireman's carry, and brings him over to where Minho is. He tries to set Alby down carefully but he sort of flops down. Thomas winces. When he looks up, Minho is still just sitting there, head resting on one hand.

Thomas

Minho, come on, what are you doing? We gotta go.

Minho

I told you, I'm giving up. I'm just gonna die here. The Grievers can get me.

Thomas

(shocked)

What are you talking about? You're not giving up.

He hooks his arm under Minho's elbow and tries to pull him up.

Thomas

(cont'd)

Come on. Get up. We have to go back.

Minho resists being pulled up and pushes Thomas away roughly.

Minho

What part of this aren't you getting? It's night. We're already dead. The Grievers are coming for us.

Thomas stops trying to pull Minho to his feet, and looks down at him like he's a puzzle Thomas can't solve.

Thomas

Minho, talk to me. This isn't like you. What's wrong?

Minho

This mission was a disaster from the beginning. We must have had bad intel; the camp wasn't where it was supposed to be, we never did manage to cut the line. It's like they knew we were coming. And Alby got injured and...

(he takes a deep ragged breath)

...and I shouldn't even be here. I wanted to desert, back when Rex took the chips out. I should have just left! Now I'm going to die on this godforsaken planet in the middle of nowhere and I'll never know what it was like to actually live my own life instead of the life that was decided for me.

Thomas pulls off his helmet and squats down in front of Minho to look him in the eye.

Thomas

Listen to me. I know this is bad, okay? I am fully aware of the situation we're in. But I made a promise. I promised Newt that I would bring you back, so that's what I'm gonna do, whether you like it or not. So come on. Newt is waiting for us.

Minho holds his gaze for a few seconds, then nods once, looking resolute now instead of despairing. Thomas doesn't say what they both know, which is that Minho never would have left without Newt. Instead he hooks his arm around Minho's elbow again, and this time Minho allows Thomas to drag him to his feet. Thomas and Minho both put their helmets back on, mentally and physically preparing to fight for their lives.

Thomas

I'll get Alby, you cover us, okay?

Minho

What are we going to do about the Grievers?

Thomas

(while bending down to heave Alby up again)

Do the blasters work against them?

Minho

I'm not sure. I've never met anyone who fought one and lived to tell the tale.

Thomas

(panting from carrying Alby over his shoulder)

Well, try the blasters, and if all else fails, we have knives. Most things die if you stab them enough, right?

Minho

(sarcastically)

Just how I always wanted to go, in a knife fight against an alien five times my size with some kind of freakish cross between tentacles and stingers.

They start heading back the way Thomas came, more slowly now that Thomas is carrying Alby. Minho walks in front, keeping his blaster aimed and ready should any Grievers make an appearance. Thomas follows behind, doing his best to check their blind spot in case the Grievers try to sneak up behind them.

It's not long before they can hear the Grievers getting closer. True to their name, they emit a high wailing noise that sounds disturbingly human, but just wrong enough to be creepy. They stay just out of sight, but out of the corners of their eyes, Thomas and Minho can see flashes of them. They're closer than they were before, when Thomas was looking for Minho and Alby. And they're getting closer.

Minho

(under his breath)

I can't take much more of this. This is freaking me out. Why don't they just attack?

Thomas

(reluctantly)

I think they're toying with us.

Minho

(manic laughter)

Oh good!

The tension builds; the sounds of the Grievers get closer and closer, and the movements just out of the corners of their eyes get faster and faster until they're both turning in circles, trying to spot the creatures hunting them.

Finally it comes to a head: a huge, monstrous creature appears before them. Its body is little more than a shapeless lump, but it has at least eight legs, and other appendages that, like Minho said, seem like a cross between tentacles and stingers like a scorpion. It has no apparent eyes, only a hideous gaping maw filled with multiple rows of razor-sharp teeth, currently open wide and screaming at them.

Minho yells and shoots it with his blaster; he hits it again and again but all that happens is the creature growls and shrieks and hisses. Thomas drops Alby and also draws his blaster, firing on the beast, but his shots have no more effect than Minho's.

Thomas

(yelling in fear)

I don't think that's working!

Minho

(also yelling)

Yeah, I think it's just making it more angry!

The Griever's stingers whip around with frightening speed, and one of them whips over toward Thomas. Thomas pulls out his knife and slashes at the stinger-tipped appendage. The Griever's skin is thick and rubbery, making it difficult to cause any damage, but at last Thomas's knife hits home and he manages to stab into the appendage, sawing at it and nearly ripping it off before the Griever pulls it away, howling in pain.

Thomas

You look after Alby, I'm gonna try to lead it away!

Minho

What about the other ones?!

Thomas

Don't worry, I'll be back soon! Probably!

Minho

What do you mean, "probably"?!

Thomas crashes off into the undergrowth, and as he hoped, the Griever follows him and leaves Minho and Alby alone. Unfortunately, he can already hear the sounds of other Grievers in the distance, so he knows they won't be safe for long. He needs to deal with this Griever quickly and loop back for them.

As he's running,Thomas checks his belt; he has one grenade left. A look of determination comes over his face as he begins to formulate a plan. His running becomes more erratic, weaving through trees and plants, changing direction suddenly and randomly. The Griever is fairly agile, but its large body slows it down just enough when changing direction to allow Thomas to keep ahead, barely.

Suddenly, he falls. At first it seems like he slipped and this will be a fatal mistake, but it turns out it was all part of his plan. As the Griever looms over him, roaring triumphantly, Thomas hurls the grenade straight into the Griever's open mouth. It gets lodged, and the Griever makes an angry choking noise.

It raises one sharp leg, preparing to skewer Thomas like a human kebab, but before the leg comes down, the grenade explodes inside the Griever, killing it in one dramatic and gory blow, with Griever blood and guts raining down on Thomas beneath it.

Thomas makes a disgusted noise and then laughs with terrified relief. He picks himself up, wiping Griever smoothie off his helmet, and looks around, trying to remember in which direction he left Minho and Alby, when Minho comes running up to him.

Minho

Holy shit! I can't believe you just did that! I can't believe it worked! You're crazy!

Thomas

(sheepishly)

Oh, you saw that?

Minho

You mean when you exploded a Griever from the inside? Hell yeah I saw it! That was insane!

He throws an arm around Thomas and hugs him in an affectionate, if still rather manic, way. When he lets go, he helps Thomas wipe more of the Griever guts off himself, but there's too much to worry about getting it all now.

Thomas

Wait, where's Alby?

Minho

I hid him under some vines, he's probably fine.

Thomas

What do you mean, "probably"?!

Minho ignores this hilarious callback in favor of leading the way to where he left Alby.

Thomas

How many grenades do you have left?

Minho

Why? You thinking of tempting fate a second time?

Thomas

If we have to, yeah. The grenade sure worked a lot better than the blasters or the knife.

Minho

(checking his belt)

I have three. Here.

He tosses two of them at Thomas, one at a time so Thomas can catch them and attach them to his belt.

Thomas

Are you sure? That only leaves you with one.

Minho

Well, if I use it up and actually survive the encounter, you can give me one back.

Thomas chuckles.

They find Alby, covered in vines just as Minho left him. Thomas picks him up and they resume their trek back. The jungle around them has been almost deathly silent since Thomas killed the Griever, but now they can hear, faintly in the distance, the wailing of more Grievers. More are coming.

Minho

How much of your luck do you think you already used up tonight?

Thomas

Hopefully not all of it.

cut to

Ext. Unknown jungle planet, battle clearing - early morning

The light is just starting to peek over the horizon, bringing color back to the landscape. Newt, Gally, Ben, Clint, Winston, and Frypan are sitting or laying down in a group next to the trench from the battle the day before. Everyone has removed their helmets, showing many of them have subtle but noticeable scars on the sides of their heads, just like Thomas, Newt, and Minho had after the operation. Ben is the only one without a scar.

The fighting is over, and apparently they were successful, but they don't look very happy. They look worried, tired, and sad. There's a patch of freshly overturned earth nearby, with a helmet placed at the end like a headstone.

Newt in particular looks like he's had a rough night: his eyes are red and puffy like he's been crying, and there are dark shadows under his eyes indicating he hasn't slept a wink.

Suddenly there's a shout from one of the cones.

Gally

(standing and pointing excitedly)

Look! Over by the trees!

Everyone turns to look where he's pointing. Newt stands up, looking like he can hardly believe what he's seeing.

Minho and Thomas are emerging from the jungle, and Thomas is carrying Alby. They laugh and wave like they don't have a care in the world and were simply a little later completing a mission than expected. There's even more Griever guts splattered across both of their armor, showing they killed at least one or two more that night on their way back.

Newt is running to meet them. When he's almost there, Thomas stops and Minho helps him set Alby gently on the ground, and then they both take off their helmets and turn to meet Newt. Newt grabs them in a fierce hug, one arm around each of them, clinging to them both and nearly sobbing with relief.

Newt

(whispering)

I thought you were dead. I thought I lost both of you...

Minho and Thomas hug him back, and hug each other as well. For a brief moment, only the three of them exist.

They separate a little, enough to be able to look at each other's faces, but still grasping each other's arms.

Newt

(to Thomas)

Thank you, Thomas.

Thomas

(slightly embarrassed)

I said I'd bring him back, didn't I?

Minho

You should have seen him, Newt. He was incredible. I had just about given up, but he marched up to me and said, 'I made a promise, Newt is waiting for us.' He wouldn't take no for an answer. And then he went and killed a Griever.

Newt

(laughing incredulously)

It looks like you didn't just kill it, you bathed in it, both of you.

Thomas

Yeah, well, it was a little messy. We'll tell you the full story later.

When they part, Newt goes to check on Alby, but Thomas hangs back with Minho.

Thomas

(quietly)

I didn't just do it for him, you know. I did it for you too.

Minho

(uncharacteristically sincere)

I know.

They linger, gazing at each other and clasping hands for a few extra seconds.

Thomas

(looking around, counting heads)

Hey, where's Zart?

Newt

(reluctantly)

Zart is dead.

Thomas

(stunned)

What? How?

Newt opens his mouth but finds he's at a loss for words, so Gally cuts in.

Gally

He took off his helmet because he thought the battle was over, and...

He mimes getting shot in the head.

Gally

(cont'd)

...turned out there were still a few enemy snipers around.

Newt

(voice laden with guilt)

It's my fault. If I'd been more strict with him about keeping his helmet on... Alby would never have let this happen.

Gally

(insistent)

It's not your fault. You warned him to keep his helmet on; you told all of us. It's not your fault he didn't listen.

Clint

Yeah, I mean, I know we all loved Zart, but let's face it, he wasn't the brightest Kyber crystal in the galaxy.

Newt is kneeling down to get a better look at Alby and has removed his helmet. Gally and Clint are with him; Gally is checking for a pulse, and Clint is inspecting his injuries, trying to give some first aid.

Newt

(calling back to Thomas and Minho)

How long has he been unconscious?

Thomas

He woke up for a bit when we were on our way back, but it seemed like he was in a lot of pain.

Minho

To be honest, I'm a little surprised he's still alive. He was injured pretty badly yesterday.

Gally

Well, he's breathing and has a pulse, at least.

Just as he's saying this, Alby groans and opens his eyes.

Newt

(excited)

Alby, buddy! Welcome back! How are you feeling?

Alby

(painfully)

Like I went three rounds with a rancor and the rancor won.

He slowly sits up. He does seem to be in pain, but he's putting on a brave face.

Clint

We need to get him back to the medical center on Kamino as soon as possible, but I think he'll live.

When Ben hears this, a change comes over him. He rubs his head with his hands as if he suddenly has a splitting headache, and starts to mutter something under his breath.

All of a sudden, Ben attacks Alby. He pushes Newt aside and manages to wrap his hands around Alby's throat, strangling him. He has a crazed look in his eye, like he's not all there.

Ben

(muttering under his breath)

Good soldiers follow orders... good soldiers follow orders...

Ben attacking Alby is so unexpected and happened so suddenly that it took the other clones a moment to react, but now they're shouting and trying to pull him off of Alby. Thomas, Minho, and Gally manage to wrench him off Alby after Clint breaks his grip on Alby's throat, and the three of them try to hold him back, but he struggles like a wild animal, nearly impossible to pin down. He pulls out his blaster and shoots Clint in the chest. Clint goes down and doesn't get back up.

Ben

Good soldiers follow orders.

He aims the blaster at Alby, but Newt, Winston, and Frypan get in his way while Thomas, Minho, and Gally try to tackle him or grab hold of him again. Every time they grab at him, he manages to evade them or fight them off, and they can't keep hold of him for long.

Gally

(hissing to Thomas)

It must be the chip! He's being controlled!

Thomas

(shouting to Ben)

Come on, Ben, fight it! I know you're in there! You don't have to do this! Please, fight it!

Ben

Good soldiers follow orders...

He shoots the blaster again and hits Winston. Winston screams and goes down; he tries to get back up but he's in too much pain to stand. Ben fires again. This time it hits Newt; he goes down and doesn't move. Ben fires again and hits Frypan in the shoulder; Frypan manages to stay standing, but it's clear he won't be able to put up much of a fight.

Ben draws his knife and walks towards Alby, who's still sitting there defenseless, unable to even run away. Thomas lunges at Ben, but Ben elbows him in the face, giving him a bloody nose. Still Thomas tries to hang onto Ben's arm and drag the knife down so he can disarm him, but Ben shrugs him off and kicks him in the head. Thomas falls back, dazed, as Ben raises the knife again.

While Thomas was slowing Ben down, Gally grabs him around the chest and tries to immobilize his knife arm. Ben slashes the knife wildly and nearly stabs Gally in the face, but at the last second Minho, seeing the knife's trajectory, shouts and pulls Gally away. Unfortunately, this makes Gally let go of Ben, who now has almost no obstacles to Alby. Frypan makes a last desperate lunge at Ben, but easily gets kicked aside.

Alby

Ben, wait - please -

In one fluid motion, Ben throws the knife, which soars through the air and buries itself in Alby's throat. He makes a choked gurgling noise, then falls back.

The rest of the clones are in shocked silence. Ben is still standing with his knife-throwing arm outstretched when the chip's influence begins to lessen, and he comes back to himself. Horrified and ashamed at what he has done, Ben drops to his knees and buries his head in his hands. He cries loudly.

Ben

I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I didn't want to do it, I don't know what happened...

The other clones can't think of anything to say. They just stand there, feeling the full force of their failure, knowing they've let down both Alby and Ben.

Int. Nu-class Attack Shuttle - day

The remaining clones of Clone Force 250 are crammed into a Nu-class Attack Shuttle, along with several other squads who were apparently on the same planet, fighting the same battle in other locations. Clint, Winston, Newt, and Frypan have recovered enough to be conscious and standing. Ben is restrained, although he is making no attempt to escape or hurt anyone else. He looks absolutely inconsolable; his face is dirty and tear-stained. The other clones all have their helmets on so their faces can't be seen, but their posture looks weary and ashamed.

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, outside the medical bay - day

Thomas, Minho, Newt, Gally, Winston, Clint, and Frypan are all sitting in an area that looks a lot like a hospital waiting room. The door to the medical bay is off to the right side of the hallway, and periodically one or two of the clones will look up at it before looking back down at his lap. They seem to be avoiding eye contact with each other.

The door opens, and AVA, a female Kaminoan, walks out. She is dressed in the manner of a Kaminoan doctor. When they see her, the clones all stand up expectantly.

Ava

There was no need for you all to wait here. I could have informed you of any updates from your barracks.

Newt

Please, do you know what happened? Why did Ben kill Alby?

The clones are pretending not to know about the chips, and still hoping to gain some information about why Alby was killed, or at least wanting to see how the Kaminoans will try to explain it away.

Ava

The clone you know as Ben, RZ-5823, was suffering from a malfunction in his behavioral modification biochip. It is a biochip placed in the brains of all clones, to inhibit your natural violent and erratic tendencies. Though it is rare, we have seen it before: when the biochip malfunctions, clones become prone to violent outbursts, even murder. That is why RZ-5823 attacked PQ-2902.

The clones all exchange disbelieving glances. Some of the clones, like Gally and Frypan, look like they want to argue with Ava, but Thomas speaks up before they can.

Thomas

So what will happen to Ben? Can you fix his biochip so it won't malfunction anymore?

Ava

Clone RZ-5823 has already been terminated. He will no longer impede your missions.

The clones all stand in shocked silence. They can't believe that Ben is already dead, and they didn't even get a warning or a chance to save him.

Ava

(cont'd)

Now I think it would be best if you all returned to your barracks and awaited your next assignment there. In the absence of PQ-2902, Clone Force 250 will be led by NM-1007.

There are gasps of surprise from several of the clones. Newt himself doesn't look very surprised, but looks down at the floor. He looks like he's trying not to show any reaction, but the muscle in his jaw clenches as if he is gritting his teeth.

Frypan

Minho? But why not Newt? He was Alby's second-in-command!

Ava

That was the decision made by your superior officers in the Imperial Army. Now please, return to your barracks.

The words she uses are polite, but her tone makes it clear there will be no more 'discussion'. Still, Gally looks like he has a few more things he wants to say, but Newt puts a hand on his shoulder and turns him away, gently but firmly pushing him towards their barracks.

Int. Clone Force 250 barracks - day

Thomas, Newt, Minho, Frypan, Gally, Clint, and Winston all enter the barracks in various states of distress and agitation. As soon as the door is closed behind them, Gally walks over to the wall and punches it angrily.

Gally

I knew we should have taken out Ben's chip before that mission. Didn't I say so? But no one wanted to listen to me, and now see what happened. If we had done what I wanted, Alby and Ben would both still be alive.

Thomas

(trying to calm him down)

We don't know that for sure -

Gally

(shouting)

Yes, we do! We all know Ben's chip didn't malfunction, it did exactly what it was supposed to do! It made him kill Alby, and then they killed Ben to cover it up.

Frypan

I hate to say it, but I think Gally is right - we really messed up. We let them both down.

Everyone looks chastened.

Minho

But something's been bothering me. Why would they make Ben kill Alby in the first place? What was the point of that?

Thomas

I've been wondering about that too. And there was something else... Minho, do you remember what you told me, when I first found you in the jungle? You said that the mission was a disaster from the beginning, that it was like -

Minho

(finishing his sentence)

...like they knew we were coming.

Thomas

(giving him a significant look)

Almost like you were set up to fail.

Newt

What are you saying?

Thomas

I'm saying that I don't think Alby was ever supposed to make it back from that mission, but they didn't count on Minho refusing to leave him behind. I'm saying Ben killing Alby was only the backup plan in case he somehow made it out of the jungle alive.

(he pauses)

I think they knew that Alby'd had his chip removed, and that made him a threat that needed to be eliminated.

Minho

But why just Alby? Why not all of us?

Thomas

I'm not sure, but I don't know how easy it is for them to monitor the chips without brain scans, so it's possible they don't realize we've had our chips removed, but Alby was found out somehow.

The others are quiet as they process this and try to judge if it seems likely or not.

Thomas

(cont'd)

I've been thinking about this a lot, and... what if our 'vitamin shots' aren't really vitamins? What if it's something that boosts the chips, or somehow helps the Kaminoans keep tabs on us? What if that's how they found out about Alby?

Clint

(frowning)

How would that even work?

Thomas

I'm not sure, but if the biochips are made of organic materials, couldn't there be some method, also using organic materials, of boosting them or tracking them?

Clint

Well, I'm no biologist, but I guess it sounds plausible...

Thomas

And the timing makes sense: Newt, Minho, and I had just gotten our vitamin shots before we went on that mission where our chips were taken out. And when we were taking the chips out of all of you, it was easiest to get someone alone at the medical bay right after they'd had their vitamin shots. It's been less than a week, so none of us have had the shots again since losing the chip...

Newt

...except Alby, because we got him first, a few days before his weekly shot.

There's a pause while everyone thinks through this and realizes it's true.

Frypan

Huh. Well, I was skeptical at first, but I have to admit, I always thought it was weird that the Kaminoans were so adamant about us getting the vitamin shots every week when they don't care about our health the rest of the time. They made us to be replaceable if we got sick, why would they care if we took our vitamins?

Thomas

Exactly! They've always made us to be disposable - and I'm tired of it. We may be clones, but we're still people.

He pauses, considering his next words carefully.

Thomas

(cont'd)

Listen, I don't expect any of you to stay here any longer, now that there's no one left on the squad who needs to be saved. But I can't leave yet. I've decided... I'm not leaving until I destroy the cloning center. I can't let them make more clones, and use us to expand an evil Empire, just to murder us when we're no longer useful.

Newt

But Thomas... why does it have to be you? What's stopping you from just walking away, and living a peaceful, happy life?

Thomas

(passionate)

We know what the Empire is, now. We've seen for ourselves how evil they are, without their chips in our heads brainwashing us into thinking it's justified, and we know what they're capable of. They need to be stopped. Maybe I can't do it all on my own, but I can at least try to take their army away from them.

Frypan and Winston look like they're convinced by Thomas's argument, but Minho, Clint, and Gally still look skeptical. Newt is impossible to read.

Minho

I think we should leave, but I think no matter what happens, we should all stick together. If one of us stays, all of us should stay, but if we decide to leave, all of us should leave together.

Gally

Minho is right. I understand where you're coming from, Thomas, but I think staying would be the worst possible thing we could do. They're bound to discover any day that we don't have the chips anymore, and then we'll all become targets just like Alby. We should leave and go somewhere safe, and then regroup.

Thomas

I already said, I'm not asking anyone else to stay here with me. And as long as I don't take the vitamins and do whatever they say, it should be a while before they figure out I don't have the chip anymore.

Minho

But you can't stay by yourself! What if they order you to do something terrible - you would have to do it, or risk being found out and killed! And besides, how would you explain the fact that we had all just up and left?

Thomas

(stubbornly)

I'll think of something.

Minho

No. You should come with us. It's the only thing that makes sense. You can still fight the Empire from the safety of the Outer Rim, but you can't fight it if you're dead.

Thomas

I think the best way for me to fight the Empire is to destroy the cloning center, right here on Kamino. I'll just have to do it fast, before they figure out I'm not under their control.

Newt

Minho's right, we should stick together, no matter what we decide to do.

Thomas

Then how about we take a vote? Everyone who thinks we should leave?

Minho, Gally, and Clint raise their hands. Newt hesitates, but looks at Thomas and doesn't raise his hand.

Thomas

(cont'd)

And everyone who thinks we should stay and destroy the cloning center?

Thomas, Frypan, and Winston raise their hands. After a short pause, Newt also raises his hand.

Thomas

(cont'd)

So it's decided then. We're staying. Oh - and no one takes the vitamin shots!

Minho and Clint look unhappy, but accept this decision. Frypan and Winston look determined, ready to join Thomas and fight the Empire. Newt looks troubled, but resolute. Gally looks furious. Once the others have moved far enough away to no longer be in earshot, Gally gets right up in Thomas's face and speaks to him, quietly but angry enough to put Thomas on his back foot.

Gally

(pointing his finger at Thomas's chest)

You listen to me. The only reason Newt sided with you was because he knew you would be stupid enough to try to stay by yourself even if you lost the vote. If not for that, we would be leaving right now. So you better figure this out quick, because if I lose any more of my family to your stupidity, and I mean even one single person, I'm holding you personally responsible.

Thomas opens his mouth like he wants to respond but he doesn't get a chance before Gally storms away.

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, storage closet - day

Thomas is holed up inside a storage closet with a droid, J3F4, making modifications to it. The droid is a medical droid: it's about half the size of a human, has thin arm-like appendages, yellow lights approximately where eyes would be, and boosters instead of legs. It also has a subtle orange stripe down its back that helps Thomas distinguish it from other medical droids.

Thomas has opened a door on the droid's back to allow him access to its circuitry, and he is making some kind of adjustments. He seems to know what he's doing and is pretty handy with fixing/programming droids.

Thomas

It's a beautiful day to destroy the closest place we have to a home, don't you think, Jeff?

J3F4

For the seventeenth time, my designation is J-3-F-4. Not Jeff.

Thomas

Yeah, but for the seventeenth time, it's a nickname! J-3-F-4 kind of looks like 'JEFF'.

J3F4

Perhaps to your rudimentary light-sensing organs it does. However, to more advanced life forms, I am J-3-F-4.

Thomas

Jeff, did you just make a joke?

J3F4

For the eighteenth time -

Thomas

(cutting him off)

Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're J3F4.

J3F4

Affirmative.

Thomas

Can I at least call you J3 for short?

J3F4

(pauses)

That would be acceptable.

Thomas

With these modifications...

(finishing up whatever he's doing and closing the door on J3F4)

...you should be able to access any records stored on any database in Tipoca City.

J3F4

Are there any records in particular you would like to access?

Thomas

I need schematics, blueprints, anything you can find for the cloning center that will help me figure out the best way to destroy it.

J3F4

Would explosives not suffice?

Thomas

But I need to know how much I need, and where to put them to have the most impact!

J3F4

I see. I will start downloading all the records I can find.

Suddenly there's a static noise coming from Thomas's helmet.

Newt

(over communicator)

Come in, Thomas. Are you there?

Thomas picks up his helmet and puts it on.

Thomas

I'm here, Newt. What's happening?

Newt

(over communicator)

Gally and Winston just got back... It's not good. We need your help.

cut to

Thomas is running along the hallway until he reaches Newt, Minho, Clint, and Frypan. Newt is holding a hologram projector which is projecting Gally's image.

Gally

(on hologram)

It's no good. They won't even let me off the ship, they're saying I have to take him off-world and then quarantine until they're sure I'm not infected too.

Thomas

(panting from running)

What's going on?

Newt

Winston has the Flare.

Thomas

(shocked)

What?

Minho

Gally tried to bring him back to be treated, but the Kaminoans won't allow him in the city.

Gally

They're saying if they let him in, the infection could spread to the entire clone population on Kamino, that it's too dangerous. But even if I took him to a medical facility off-world, they wouldn't know how to treat the Flare.

(bitterly)

There's been no research on it, because it's a disease that only affects clones, and we don't matter.

Thomas

(determined)

We have to help him! We can - we can sneak him into the medical bay somehow -

Clint

...and then what? Hope the Kaminoans don't notice a diseased clone in one of the beds?

Thomas

Then we'll take him to our barracks, instead - no one goes in there except us, once we got him in he would be safe.

Newt

We'd have to bring some medical equipment in somehow, to have something to treat him with. And how are we going to get him into the city in the first place?

Thomas

I just had Jeff download blueprints for the cloning center - we can use those to find a way to sneak him in. There have to be, I don't know, some maintenance tunnels, something that we can use to sneak past the main checkpoints.

Gally

(nodding)

I'll pretend to take him off-world, but secretly meet you to drop him off. Then I can go into quarantine while you all find some way to help him.

Thomas

I'll go get Jeff now and find a map we can use.

Newt

I'll go to the medical bay and see what I can do about equipment. The rest of you, go with Thomas - it'll probably take all four of you to carry Winston, especially if you're crawling through secret tunnels.

dissolve to

Int. Tipoca City maintenance tunnels - day

Thomas, Minho, Clint, and Frypan are carrying Winston on a stretcher through a tunnel. The only light comes from lanterns on their helmets, casting narrow beams of light so they can barely see where they are going. They are walking through water that comes up to their knees and doesn't look too clean - this appears to be some kind of sewer pipe. J3F4 is leading the way, directing them which turns to take.

Winston is not looking good. He does not have any armor on, and even in the dim lighting, a bright red rash can be seen creeping up his arm; it almost looks like something red and poisonous is making its way through his veins to his heart. His face and neck are also flushed red as if he has a very high fever. He is shivering and every now and then moans like he is in a lot of pain.

Minho

When you said you could find us some tunnels to sneak through, this wasn't exactly what I had in mind.

J3F4

We should turn left at the next junction.

Thomas

It's not much further, right J3?

J3F4

Affirmative.

Frypan

Thomas, it's not that I don't appreciate this, and I'm sure Winston does too, but are you sure there weren't any other tunnels we could have taken?

J3F4

This was the best option to avoid detection.

Clint

(under his breath)

Yeah, sure, if you get to float above all the muck...

Minho

(to Thomas)

I think when you 'modified' that droid, you knocked a few screws loose, if you know what I mean.

J3F4

My analytical capabilities still far outmatch your own.

Minho

What's that supposed to mean?

Thomas

It's fine, he just likes to make jokes occasionally.

Minho

Thomas, did you program a droid to have a sense of humor?

J3F4

(interrupting)

We have arrived! This hatch will let you out in hallway C7, which is the nearest access point to your barracks.

Thomas climbs up some rungs set into the tunnel wall and turns the wheel to open the hatch. He pokes his head through cautiously, then looks back down to the others.

Thomas

Okay, the coast is clear, let's go!

Thomas and Minho climb up first, and Clint and Frypan pass Winston on his stretcher up to them, then climb up themselves. They are about to make their way to their barracks when they hear someone walking towards them from an adjacent hallway. At first they freeze, but then quickly separate themselves into two groups: Clint, Frypan, and J3F4 stay with Winston and head one way, trying to find somewhere to stay out of sight, while Thomas and Minho go to intercept whoever is coming and delay them.

Thomas and Minho round a corner to the adjacent hallway, and see JANSON. Janson is a Ranat, a humanoid rat species. He is dressed in armor made of odds and ends, typical of bounty hunters. As they approach, Janson looks Thomas and Minho up and down and notices how dirty the bottom of their armor is.

Janson

You two, clones! Where are you going?

Thomas

We're just going to our barracks, sir.

Janson

(scowling, at least as much as a rat can scowl)

What have you been doing? Why is your armor so dirty?

Minho

(faking surprise)

Is it?

He looks down, then smacks his hand to his head dramatically as if just noticing for the first time all the grime on his lower half.

Minho

(cont'd)

What?! When did that happen?

Janson

(disdainful)

Don't play ignorant with me, clone.

He says the word 'clone' like it's a slur.

Janson

(cont'd)

You're acting suspiciously. What are you up to?

Thomas

I don't know what you mean, sir. We're just going to our barracks. We'll make sure our armor is cleaned up, first thing.

Minho

(under his breath)

Mind your own business, rat man.

Janson takes a step closer to Minho and glares at him. He probably didn't hear what Minho actually said since it was muttered quietly, but he still doesn't like Minho's attitude.

Janson

Do you need a little reminder on how to show your superiors proper respect? Perhaps some reconditioning is in order.

Minho stiffens, and a subtle change takes over his posture and demeanor. He doesn't want to show it, in fact he's trying desperately to hide it, but he's scared.

Minho

(petulantly)

No.

Janson

(dangerously quiet)

No... what?

Minho

(unwillingly)

No, sir.

Finally he seems satisfied and steps back, letting them leave.

Thomas

(quietly, to Minho)

What was that? What did he mean about reconditioning?

Minho

That's Janson, he's a bounty hunter. He helps the Kaminoans train clones sometimes. You didn't train under him?

Thomas

No, I've never seen him before.

Minho

Newt and I trained under him. He's awful. I hate him.

Minho speaks with uncharacteristic hostility. Thomas looks like he's wondering what Janson did to make Minho hate him so much, but he doesn't want to ask. But Minho sees his curious look and offers a vague answer anyway.

Minho

(cont'd)

He... enjoys hurting people. Especially clones.

Minho and Thomas have arrived at the barracks. Clint, Frypan, and J3F4 made it back with Winston, but Newt isn't there yet.

Minho

Newt isn't back from the medical bay yet?

Clint

Not yet. We were thinking of sending someone to go with him, maybe he needs help carrying stuff?

Minho

Thomas and I can go.

Minho and Thomas head to the medical bay. When they get there, they see Newt going through medical supplies.

Newt

Oh, hey. So you made it? Sorry I took longer than expected, I was just trying to make sure I got anything we might need so we don't have to make more trips.

There's a cart full of equipment and supplies next to him, and Newt adds a few more things to it.

Newt

I just need to get the sedative.

He opens a cabinet that contains several bottles of various medications, but as soon as he does a light starts flashing in the back of the cabinet. It's not very obtrusive, but it is noticeable, and Thomas, Newt, and Minho all look at each other, unsure what this means.

They wheel the cart to the door and look out. Guards are gathering out in the hallway, and it looks serious.

Newt

There must have been an alarm!

They back away from the door, trying to figure out what to do next, if there's anywhere to hide. They can hear many footsteps, and from the hallway, they hear a familiar voice shouting.

Janson

(off-camera)

Get more guards! Whoever's in there, we'll get them!

Minho turns to look at Newt. Newt has definitely recognized that voice, and he looks frozen with fear, his eyes glazed over and distant.

Minho

Give me the sedative.

Thomas

What?

Minho

(ignoring Thomas, speaking to Newt)

Give it to me, now.

Numbly, Newt hands the bottle of sedative over to Minho. Minho walks back to the door, alone this time. He turns to look back at Newt, still frozen, and Thomas, looking back and forth between them in confusion.

Minho

Just hide in here until they leave, and then go back to the barracks with the stuff, okay?

Thomas opens his mouth like he wants to ask a question, but he doesn't get the chance. Minho charges through the door, leaving them behind.

Minho runs down the hallway, dodging guards, and runs full-speed at Janson, doing a flying kick. Janson is too shocked to do anything, and goes down, but soon gets back up and with the help of several guards, restrains Minho.

Janson picks up the bottle of sedative, which Minho dropped on the floor during the struggle.

Janson

What's this?

Minho just glares at him.

Janson

And where do you think you were going with this, clone?

Minho spits at him.

Janson

(angrily, to the guards)

Bring him to the training hall.

(quietly, to Minho)

Looks like you did need a little reconditioning after all, hm?

Minho looks furious, but doesn't bother struggling. Instead he allows himself to be pulled to his feet and marched away.

Back in the medical bay, Newt and Thomas are sitting next to each other, leaning up against the wall, hidden in a corner of the room.

Thomas

I don't get it. Why would he do that?

Newt

(sad and embarrassed)

He was protecting me.

Thomas

Protecting you? From what?

Newt

I never told you how I got this, did I?

Newt taps on his prosthetic leg, hidden inside the regular clone armor and boot. It's a rhetorical question; they both know that Newt never talks about how he lost his leg.

Thomas

(cautiously)

No...

Newt

(looking down at his lap)

How much did Minho tell you about Janson?

Thomas

He just said that Janson... likes hurting people. Clones in particular.

Newt

I don't think we count as people in his eyes.

(sighs)

Anyway, he likes to do something he calls 'reconditioning'. But a better word for it might be torture. When he's training clones, he uses it as a way of disciplining us... You know, I once heard that Janson has the lowest passing rate for training clones, and it didn't surprise me one bit.

Newt looks at Thomas and then looks away. Thomas patiently waits for Newt to continue talking.

Newt

(cont'd)

I'm sorry, this is hard for me to talk about, but I'll quit beating around the bush. One time, Janson took me in for this 'reconditioning'... and I decided I'd rather die than have to keep enduring it, so I tried to blow myself up.

Thomas gasps in spite of himself. Newt gives a dry laugh that has no humor in it.

Newt

(cont'd)

I only managed to blow my leg off. Minho saved me - in more ways than one. Not only did he bring me back from the brink, he somehow convinced the Kaminoans not to terminate me. They said I was defective, you see.

(looking up at Thomas again)

But he convinced them it was an accident, and that I could still be useful. Apparently there was a precedent for... modified clones being used in the Imperial Army. They weren't keen to keep me around, I can tell you. But somehow he talked them into it.

(looking down again)

They still don't trust me enough to lead Clone Force 250, though. I'm sure that's why they made Minho the Captain instead of me. And they're right, he's better for it, even though he doesn't think he is.

Thomas

Well, for what it's worth, I think you would make a great Captain. And I'm sorry for what happened... I think I understand now why Minho hates Janson so much. I wouldn't mind taking a shot at him myself.

Newt

Well, if we do ever manage to destroy this place, maybe we can take him down with it.

Thomas smiles and holds his hand out, which Newt grasps.

Thomas

Alright, I'll do my best.

They stand up and head back to the barracks where Clint, Frypan, and J3F4 are waiting for them with Winston.

Frypan

What happened to Minho?

Newt

Janson got him. He's in reconditioning.

Clint and Frypan both seem to know what this means, and look worried and unhappy. Newt tries to change the subject.

Newt

Alright, now what? How do we help Winston?

They look to Clint as the squad medic. Clint shakes his head.

Clint

Sorry, but my training was all in first aid. I don't have a clue how to go about treating a viral infection.

Thomas

If the Kaminoans aren't going to research the Flare virus, then we'll just have to do it ourselves. J3, can you do some kind of scan to identify the virus infecting Winston that's causing the Flare? If we understand its structure, we may be able to figure out a method of treating it.

J3F4

I can perform a scan of his system, but it will take time for a comprehensive analysis.

Thomas

How much time?

J3F4

At least one hour.

Various shots of the clones waiting, sitting down or stretched out on the bunk beds, trying to pass time.

While they are waiting for J3F4 to complete the scan, Thomas goes outside to pace the hallways. He happens to see Ava, on her way somewhere, and goes up to her.

Thomas

Can I ask you something?

Ava

Of course.

Thomas

Do you even care that clones are dying from the Flare? Or do you just see us as disposable?

Ava

Well, to some degree, clones are made to be disposable. You are made to fight, and if necessary die, in battle for the Empire. But that doesn't mean we want clones to die for no reason. I assure you, we take the threat of the Flare very seriously. Any spare moment I have goes toward researching the virus and searching for a cure.

(pauses)

You know, I consider all the clones I had a hand in creating to be something like my own children. And I wouldn't want my children to die from a preventable disease.

It's clear that Thomas doesn't fully believe her or trust her, but something in him wants to trust people, even Ava.

Thomas

But still, you wouldn't even try to treat Winston.

Ava

TM-1512, you may not understand this, but sometimes sacrifices must be made, for the greater good. What happened to NW-9065 was...regrettable, but if he had been brought into the cloning center, he could have infected the entire clone population on Kamino.

Thomas

Winston.

Ava

I beg your pardon?

Thomas

His name is Winston. Not NW-9065. And my name is Thomas. If you think of us as your children, you should at least get our names right.

Ava opens and closes her mouth, but doesn't say anything.

Thomas

(cont'd)

And I may not understand much, but I understand about making sacrifices for the greater good.

It's clear he is thinking of his plan to destroy the cloning facility, for the good of the galaxy.

Without waiting for a response, he turns around and leaves her behind.

Int. Clone Force 250 barracks - day

Thomas enters, and sees Clint, Newt, and Frypan all sitting around Winston. He goes over to them and leans over, looking at Winston's face, assessing his condition. Winston still looks very ill, but is sleeping more peacefully now and is no longer constantly shivering and groaning.

Thomas

How's the scan coming, J3?

J3F4

I have completed the scan of his system.

Thomas

And?

J3F4

He is infected with over 100 various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Thomas

What?

J3F4

He has so many opportunistic infections that it will be impossible to isolate the specific virus causing the condition known as the Flare. However, I have determined that the rash and fatality of the Flare is likely to simply be sepsis, but accelerated and severe.

Thomas

But you can't figure out which virus is causing the accelerated sepsis?

J3F4

Affirmative. Furthermore, it is still unclear why this virus only affects clones.

Clint

Is there anything we can do to help clear the infections?

J3F4

I will start him on aggressive rounds of antibiotics and other pathogen-fighting treatments. However, his condition is progressing very quickly. Right now, I estimate his probability of survival at less than 10%.

The clones look at each other in dismay. Thomas's face sets in an expression of grim determination.

Thomas

Then there's still a chance. We'll do whatever we can.

A series of shots showing the clones trying to help Winston: giving him injections, making him comfortable. At one point he is awake and talking, and although his words can't be heard, he seems cheerful and even energetic. The other clones are looking hopeful, despite everything.

Thomas takes J3F4 aside.

Thomas

Did you finish downloading the files I asked for earlier?

J3F4

Affirmative. I have downloaded all 523 records with any mention of details on the layout or construction of the cloning center.

J3F4 hands Thomas a device with a screen onto which he has presumably downloaded the records so that Thomas can read them. The screen can be folded up so Thomas can carry it around with him in his armor.

Thomas

Thanks. Hey Jeff - I mean, J3 - do you think...

He trails off, thinking about how to word his question.

Thomas

(cont'd)

Do you think it's possible the Kaminoans engineered the Flare virus, in order to control the clones?

J3F4

I think a great many things are possible. However, I am only a medical droid. I am not programmed to analyze the behavior and motives of any species. To speculate would be outside the parameters of my intended operation.

Thomas

(sighing)

Of course it would. Now, I need another favor - I need you to find me any files in the Kaminoan records that mention the Flare, or any virus, and any research that's been done on it.

J3F4

It seems there is no end to what you require from me.

Thomas

Sorry, it's just there's a lot going on!

J3F4

I will have to return to my regular duties as a medical droid soon, or I will be missed.

Thomas

Okay, go ahead. But don't forget to come back and check on Winston, as soon as you can!

J3F4

I am a droid. We are incapable of forgetting.

J3F4 leaves to see to his regular medical droid duties, and Thomas sits down to start reviewing all the files on the screen J3F4 gave him.

After a while, he goes to Newt, Clint, and Frypan. The question he asked J3F4 is still bothering him.

Thomas

Hey, guys? I have a weird question.

Frypan

Oh yeah? Shoot.

Thomas

Do you think it's possible that the Kaminoans engineered the Flare virus, in order to control the clones?

There's a silence as the other clones exchange glances that are difficult to read.

Thomas

(cont'd)

I mean, isn't it weird that it only affects clones? How is that possible, unless it was designed to do that somehow? And for a species that can grow genetically modified humans, surely a simple virus would be no problem.

Newt

I won't lie, the thought has occurred to me before. It makes a certain amount of sense.

Frypan and Clint also nod in agreement. Thomas seems encouraged by the fact that they didn't outright dismiss his idea, and might even agree with it.

Thomas

I've asked J3 to get any files that mention viruses - I figure if they are engineering specialized clone-killing viruses, there has to be a record of it somewhere, right?

Newt

Won't that be a lot of files to go through?

Thomas

Well, I'll see what he comes back with, and go from there.

Thomas goes back to going through the schematics, and the other clones go back to passing the time.

Int. Clone Force 250 barracks - day

Several hours have passed. Minho is still not back from 'reconditioning'. Winston is asleep again, surrounded by monitors and equipment that give off a faint beeping with steady rhythm. J3F4 returns, and Thomas goes to him.

Thomas

So? What did you turn up on the Flare?

J3F4

I have completed a query of the informational databases...

Thomas

That's great!

J3F4

...and there are over 12,000 records that mention either the Flare or any virus. 12,855 to be exact.

Thomas

Oh.

(pauses)

Can't you narrow it down somehow? Some of those files probably only mention viruses in passing, but don't actually have anything to do with research on the Flare.

J3F4

If I were to run the algorithm you suggest, my computing power would decrease by approximately 70%.

Thomas

Well, that wouldn't be good.

J3F4

No it would not.

Thomas

Can't you just - do it more slowly, or something? Using only 50% computing power?

J3F4

In that case, it will take...

(he pauses to calculate)

...approximately 45 days.

Thomas

(groaning in frustration)

Okay, fine, then can you just download all the files, and I'll figure out how to go through them later?

J3F4

The downloading process will take several hours.

Thomas

Well, in the meantime - I have some good news. I think I figured out how to destroy the cloning center. And we won't even need explosives!

The other clones overhear this and gather around Thomas.

Newt

So what's this brilliant plan of yours?

Thomas

Well, I was looking at the blueprints for the reactors, and I realized that if we cause a feedback loop, we can actually trigger a build up of energy that will overload the reactors and... boom!

He slaps his hand on his knee for emphasis.

Thomas

(cont'd)

The explosion would take out the entire cloning center.

(he pauses)

The only problem is that a kill switch was installed, probably to prevent that very thing from happening. It automatically shuts down the reactors if a certain energy threshold is passed, which would stop the feedback loop. So we have to disable the kill switch in addition to initiating the feedback loop.

J3F4

'Kill switch'. For some reason, that phrasing is triggering a recall memo in my programming.

Clint

What does that mean?

Frypan

I think that's droid for 'I've heard that somewhere before but can't remember where'.

J3F4

You are mistaken. I am a droid, we are incapable of forgetting.

(pauses)

However...

Thomas

However, what?

J3F4

It is possible that the recent overload of record queries has maxed out my hard drive memory. This would explain the recall memo and my lack of ability to connect it to the appropriate record.

Thomas

Look, I'm sorry I made you download all those files, okay? Anyway, you probably saw something about the kill switch when you were downloading all the schematics for me earlier. That's how I learned about it, after all, in the files you gave me.

J3F4's lights blink briefly, like he doesn't quite accept this explanation but doesn't want to keep arguing.

They are interrupted by a sudden frantic beeping from the equipment surrounding Winston.

Frypan

Winston!

They all jump up to crowd around him. J3F4 checks the monitors of the equipment.

J3F4

He has multiple organ failure. I am afraid... it will not be long now.

Newt

There isn't anything you can do?

J3F4

I have already done all I can.

The clones sadly watch as Winston's life fades away before their eyes. The beeping from the machines eventually stops, replaced by one long tone, like a heart monitor when the patient's heart stops beating. Frypan and Clint are crying, and the others all look equally upset even if their eyes are dry.

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, hallway - night

Thomas, Newt, Clint, and Frypan are sneaking Winston's body to the incinerator. It's carried on a stretcher, covered by a white death shroud, but the basic shape of him can be seen beneath the cloth. None of the clones are wearing armor, and instead are in plain gray clothes.

They reach a room that holds several incinerators, and slide Winston's body into one of them, seal it, and turn it on. As his body is incinerated, they hold a sort of funeral for him. They are drinking some presumably alcoholic liquid, and toast to Winston's memory. There's a very sentimental, sad shot of Winston's body illuminated by the flames consuming it.

Thomas

(softly)

I'm sorry, Winston. I'm sorry we couldn't save you.

Frypan

We're going to destroy this place. Not just for Winston, but for Ben, and Alby, and Zart, too.

Newt

(nodding)

We'll do it for all of them. Everyone who didn't make it this far.

There are mentions of some names of people Thomas never met, like George and Nick and Albert.

Clint

(also nodding)

We won't let them get away with what they've done to us - what they've done to our friends.

Thomas looks around at all the other clones with a serious look.

Thomas

Tomorrow?

The others all nod solemnly.

Thomas

(cont'd)

We'll call Gally tonight, tell him to come back and explain the plan to him. And Minho should be back soon, right?

The others nod again.

Thomas

(cont'd)

Then we'll all be together again... and we can take this facility down once and for all.

When Winston's body is fully incinerated, they gather the ashes and store them in pouches.

As they are leaving the incinerator room, Newt is fiddling with his arm, rubbing it through his sleeve like it's itching and bothering him. Glancing around to make sure no one is paying attention to him, he lifts up his sleeve to reveal the beginning of a bright red rash, just like the one Winston had, spreading up his arm. His mouth sets in a grim line, and he pulls his sleeve back down. He doesn't say anything to the others.

They go back to the barracks, and see Minho is finally back, waiting for them.

Minho

What'd I miss?

Newt

Winston is dead. But Thomas has a plan to destroy the cloning center. We're doing it tomorrow.

Minho

Please tell me it includes a slow, torturous death for the rat man.

cut to

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility - morning

Thomas, Newt, Minho, Clint, Frypan, and Gally, who the other clones have called back from quarantine like they mentioned, are going around to all the clones they can find and telling them to evacuate the facility.

Frypan

There's a Boron gas leak -

Random Clone

Did you say Moron gas?

Frypan

No, Boron -

Gally

(coughing which might be disguised laughing)

Argon

Frypan

Right, I meant to say, an Argon gas leak. It's an odorless, colorless gas, but it will fill up the whole facility and asphyxiate us, so we have to evacuate until it's cleared.

Random Clone

(doubtfully)

Why isn't there an alarm?

Frypan

(urgently)

Do you want this whole place to explode? The alarm could ignite the Argon gas!

Random Clone

(scared)

Oh! Right! I'll, uh, I'll get going then!

Frypan

And tell anyone else you see, too!

Once the other clone is out of earshot, Gally leans in to mutter something to Frypan.

Gally

Argon is an inert gas, it wouldn't ignite even if you held a welding torch up to it.

Frypan

Well, you know that, and I know that, but he doesn't know that.

Gally

How did you know he wouldn't know it?

Frypan

Because he thought there was such a thing as Moron gas.

While Frypan and Gally continue the evacuation, Thomas, Newt, Minho, and Clint split off to head to the reactors.

They round a corner to see Janson, leaning casually against the wall, apparently waiting for them.

Janson

Well, well, well. If it isn't my favorite group of delinquents.

He is holding his blaster casually, aimed up at the ceiling, but it's obvious that in a second it could be aimed and fired at any one of them.

Janson

I've been hearing reports of an Argon gas leak. Apparently we need to evacuate.

Clint

Yes, we were just on our way to tell you -

Without warning Janson fires his blaster at Clint. Clint is hit and drops to the floor, unmoving. Thomas, Newt, and Minho stare down at him in shock. He isn't breathing.

Janson is glaring at them, his blaster still aimed forward at them, his posture combative, like he might fire on them at any moment.

Janson

(dangerously)

I really, really...

Janson takes a deep breath through his nose, like he's trying to calm himself down.

Janson

(cont'd, more calmly)

...hate clones.

He aims his blaster back up at the ceiling, and leans against the wall again.

Janson

(cont'd)

There's just one little problem with your story.

(eyes narrowed)

There is no Argon gas on Kamino.

Thomas, Minho, and Newt all glance sideways at each other fearfully.

Janson

(cont'd)

So you stupid little clones are going to tell me what you're really up to, right now, or I'll kill you all and rid the galaxy of your filth.

Suddenly Minho steps forward. His eyes are filled with rage.

Minho

(quietly)

I've been waiting for this moment a long time.

Janson

(sneering)

And what moment is that?

Without answering, Minho raises his arm, his hand held in a sort of pincer shape, like he's choking someone but his hand is only around air. But somehow, Janson is choking. His eyes widening in shock, Janson scrabbles at his throat, somehow being lifted into the air despite no one being near him.

Thomas gazes at Minho in shock.

Thomas

How are you doing that?

Minho doesn't answer. Newt is watching Minho too, but he doesn't look surprised. He looks sad.

Newt

(whispering)

Minho, don't. Not like this.

For just a second, Minho's grip slackens as he looks at Newt. In that second, Janson manages to fire his blaster. It only hits Minho in the shoulder, but it still looks like it hurts a lot, as Minho recoils and groans in pain. Janson collapses to the floor, gasping for breath. Minho turns to Newt and Thomas.

Minho

I'll hold him off. You two go.

Newt

(worried)

Minho - what are you going to...

Minho

(cutting him off)

Go!

Minho is gripping his injured shoulder, still holding his arm out, ready to counter any move Janson makes as soon as he stops gasping for breath. His eyes are fiercely determined, and he refuses to look at Newt or Thomas.

Reluctantly, Thomas turns to go, and pulls Newt with him. They can't waste this chance that Minho is giving them.

Thomas and Newt make their way to the reactor chamber.

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, reactor chamber - day

The room is large, with a high ceiling. The most noticeable things in the room are the huge blue cylinders that go floor to ceiling - these must be the reactors which supply energy to the entire cloning center. They are closed off by a wall of glass, and are issuing a faint blue glow. Occasionally there will be a small energy surge and the glow will become stronger, but it always quickly stabilizes. The second most noticeable thing about the room is that it is filled with buttons, dials, switches, etc, as far as the eye can see. There is what looks like a main switchboard that stands in front of the wall of glass separating the reactors, but there are also other sliders, dials, buttons, switches, in many other places in the room.

There's a central computer terminal on one side of the room. Thomas walks up to it and presses a few keys, then types more rapidly. With one final keystroke, he looks up in triumph.

Thomas

Okay, the feedback loop is initiated. Now we just have to disable the kill switch.

They both look around. They see the main switchboard and go over to it, looking over it frantically, trying to identify the kill switch.

Thomas

C'mon, c'mon, which one is it?

Newt

You don't know? Didn't you look at the schematics?

Thomas

Yes, but - I was in a hurry, okay? And I figured it would be obvious!

Newt

Why didn't you find it before we initiated the feedback loop? If the reactor reaches the threshold before we disable the kill switch...

Thomas

(interrupting)

I know, I know! It will shut the whole thing off, and there go our chances of ever destroying the facility! It should be fine, we have a few minutes before it reaches the threshold.

Newt and Thomas continue arguing in the background, inaudible. In the foreground, coming into focus, is a giant red button under a plastic case. It practically screams 'this is the kill switch'. They have not noticed it yet.

cut to

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, hallway - day

Minho is fighting with Janson, using the Force. He doesn't use the choking move again, perhaps because of Newt, or perhaps because he can't access the same rage he used before. Instead, he is using his surroundings, ripping off pieces of wall or beams and throwing them at Janson. Janson is doing everything he can to get away, at the same time firing his blaster at Minho, but he can't get a good shot at him. Still, there are several close calls, and it looks like even with the Force, Minho might lose.

cut to

Ext. Tipoca City - day

As usual, it's a rainy day, and the sea around them tosses with angry waves. Gally and Frypan are gathering as many clones as possible and herding them onto a ship large enough to hold them. They are getting soaked in the rain.

Gally

That should be nearly everyone, don't you think?

Frypan

(nodding)

We should get them off-world, before everything goes. We can come back for Thomas and the others, and pick up any stragglers then.

Gally

(more quietly)

Do you think they'll make it out in time?

Frypan

(like he's trying to convince himself as much as Gally)

Of course! They'll make it. I know they will.

Gally and Frypan get on the ship and take off. A last lingering shot on their faces shows how worried for their friends they are.

cut to

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, reactor chamber - day

Thomas is talking into a handheld communicator. J3F4 is on the other end, somewhere else in Tipoca City that looks different from the cloning center, but it's unclear exactly where he is. CUT BETWEEN the two locations as Thomas and J3F4 talk on the communicator.

Thomas

J3, I need you to do something for me.

J3F4

I thought you wanted me to stay out of the way and wait for you to rendezvous after destroying the cloning facility.

Thomas

(trying to stay patient)

Yes, but we need help. Do you still have access to the schematics of the reactor chamber?

J3F4

Yes...

Thomas

Ok, can you tell us where the kill switch is?

J3F4

That seems like information you should have found before initiating your plan.

Thomas

(pained)

Please, J3, just look this up for me and I swear I'll never ask you for anything ever again!

J3F4

Why do I find that highly unlikely...

(pauses)

Very well. I will find the information you have requested.

Thomas

Thank you, J3! I knew you wouldn't let me down.

J3F4

That remains to be seen.

There's a long, tense silence while J3F4 looks in the records for the information. Thomas and Newt can't see him working, so all they can do is stare at each other, counting the painful seconds until the communicator sounds with J3F4's voice again.

Finally, they hear it.

J3F4

(on communicator)

The kill switch is located behind the main panel, approximately six feet north and two feet west from the door.

Thomas and Newt look around, calculating the location J3F4 named. They spot the giant red button from earlier and shout, laughing with relief.

Thomas

(to J3F4, on communicator)

We found it! I can't believe we didn't notice it before, it was right in plain sight, we were just looking in the wrong place!

CLOSE on J3F4 as he freezes, processing what Thomas just said. His lights blink a few times, but otherwise he doesn't move at all for a few seconds. Then he speaks into the communicator again.

J3F4

That's it! It was in plain sight, but we were looking in the wrong place!

Thomas

Huh? That's what I said - but you...

J3F4

I must return to the cloning facility! I must access the mainframe at once, before it is destroyed!

Thomas

(worried now)

Jeff, no - there's no time...!

J3F4

Thomas...

Thomas

Yeah, Jeff?

J3F4

For the final time... my designation is J-3-F-4. Not 'Jeff'.

J3F4 turns off the communicator and activates his boosters, speeding as fast as he can back towards the cloning facility.

Back in the reactor chamber, Thomas is shouting for J3F4 into the communicator, but receiving no response.

Newt

(gently)

Thomas... I'm sorry, but we have to finish what we started...

Thomas turns to look at him. Thomas looks a little lost, but he locks eyes with Newt like Newt is offering him a lifeline in a raging storm. Thomas nods once.

Thomas

Right. Of course. Let's finish this.

They examine the kill switch.

Thomas

Okay, it looks like the big red button is the manual stop...

Newt

...obviously...

Thomas

...and this part right here...

(pointing to a small gray switchboard)

...is the threshold switch. This is what triggers the kill switch automatically if the energy threshold is passed.

Thomas lifts up a switch and releases it - it's spring loaded, so it flicks down with a snap as soon as he releases it. It looks like it has to be held up manually in order to keep it from falling back down.

Thomas

(cont'd)

So all we have to do to bypass the threshold and disable the kill switch... is figure out a way to hold this little bugger up.

Newt

(sighing)

Is this the part where you heroically offer to stay behind and sacrifice yourself by holding up the switch while the facility is destroyed? Because if you are, you should at least give me a chance to plead my case to stay instead.

Thomas looks shocked.

Newt

(cont'd)

Oh, don't look like that. You should know by now... you're important to me.

(looking vulnerable)

You can't think I'd let you do something like that without at least trying to fight back, do you? And besides... there's something I've been waiting to tell you, but maybe now is the best time I'm going to get...

Newt trails off and looks up at Thomas, seeing that Thomas still looks surprised but is starting to smile, and stops in his tracks.

Thomas

Actually, I was just going to suggest we use this.

He holds up what looks like a rubber band.

Thomas

(cont'd)

But your thing sounds interesting too, what were you going to tell me? More about how important I am to you?

Thomas grins at Newt, who looks like he wants to melt into a puddle on the floor.

Newt

(coughing awkwardly)

Uh, yeah, something like that.

Thomas pulls the switch up again, wraps the rubber band around it, and wraps the other end around a dial that's close enough to the switch for the rubber band to stretch. He twists the band and wraps it around both a second time, to increase the strength.

With this done, Thomas grabs Newt's hand and runs with him toward the exit.

Thomas

You can tell me when we're out of here, sound good?

Newt

(still embarrassed)

Sounds good.

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, hallway - day

The hallway is nearly unrecognizable, so much of it has been dismantled and thrown around. Multiple adjacent hallways have become one big space as the walls separating them were destroyed. There is rubble everywhere, with dust floating in the air, and what looks like a burst water pipe spurting water, causing a spray of moisture that further obscures the setting. The light refracting in the spray creates a rainbow, the beauty of it contrasting horribly with the destruction of the rest of the scene.

Minho is still fighting with Janson, although it's clear that Minho has almost exhausted himself - he's not used to using the Force for anything like this, and for such a long time - it seems he was running mostly on emotions, and he's used up most of his energy. Minho is bleeding from his nose, and he has several scrapes and bruises on his face. He's hiding behind some rubble, still trying to throw things at Janson without exposing himself to blaster fire. From behind the rubble, he moves slowly and stiffly, trying to keep himself out of sight so Janson can't corner him.

Janson is taunting him as he strolls through the wreckage, shooting at anything that moves.

Janson

Do you know why I hate clones?

He walks a few more steps. Minho Force-throws a piece of pipe at him, and Janson blasts it out of the way.

Janson

(cont'd)

It's not because you're abominations of nature, although you are. And it's not because the Empire wastes far too many resources on you, resources that would be better spent elsewhere.

He walks a few more steps, and then there's a cruel gleam in his eye. He can just see a bit of white clone trooper armor sticking out from the rubble - now he has Minho cornered.

Janson

(cont'd)

It's because you're weak. Even with all the genetic advantages you were given, you're all still so prone to that disgusting sentimentality that plagues your species. The sooner you see it for the weakness that it is, the better off you'll be.

He levels his blaster, closing one eye as he aims.

Janson

(cont'd, almost laughing to himself)

Although I suppose it's a little too late in your case.

He fires his blaster, but to his surprise, the only thing he hits is an empty clone trooper helmet. Then Minho appears behind him, holding a heavy-looking length of pipe.

Minho

Shut up, you stupid rat.

Minho swings as hard as he can and hits Janson in the head. Janson crumples to the floor, down for the count. Minho drops the pipe, clearly exhausted nearly to his breaking point. Just then, Newt and Thomas come running around the corner.

Thomas

Woah. What happened here?

Minho

Oh, nothing. Just some... light redecorating.

Newt runs up to Minho and hugs him tightly. Minho hugs him back, looking relieved. Newt pulls Thomas into the hug as well, and for another brief moment, only the three of them exist. Then Thomas pulls back a bit.

Thomas

Sorry to cut this short, but as you know, we're on a very tight schedule - we only have about ten minutes to get out of here before the whole thing blows.

Minho and Newt also pull back, and they all three run to the other end of the odd clearing Minho made, trying to find the quickest way out.

The walls of the facility are starting to shake as energy overloads the reactors and they destabilize. Thomas, Minho, and Newt run down hallways that look like they're being hit by an earthquake.

All of a sudden Thomas stops.

Thomas

Wait... should we go look for J3? He said he needed to access the mainframe - we can just check...

Minho

What? Why did he come back?

Newt

Thomas, you were the one just saying... we have less than ten minutes...

Thomas looks sad, but he knows Newt is right.

Thomas

Right. You're right. There's no time - we should just go.

CLOSE on the rubber band holding the switch up back in the reactor chamber. It trembles as the reactors spark and snap and the walls shake, but it holds.

Back to Thomas, Minho, and Newt running through the hallways.

Newt

There - cut through the research lab, then we can get to...

Minho

...the East doors, yes! Go, go!

Int. Kaminoan cloning facility, research lab - day

Thomas, Minho, and Newt hurry into the research lab, where they are surprised to see Ava, standing there like everything is normal and the cloning facility is not about to come crashing down around her.

Newt and Minho ignore her and run for the doors, but Thomas can't help himself: he has to try to save her.

Thomas

What are you doing here? You have to get out, it's dangerous!

Ava looks around at the lab sadly. There are a few vials of clones, some still in embryo stages, some more developed and showing human features, around the room, with many other bottles of chemicals, microscopes, and other lab equipment.

Ava

(softly and sadly)

This is my life's work. I can't leave it behind.

Newt

(urgently)

Tommy, let's go!

With one last regretful look back at Ava, Thomas turns to follow Newt and Minho out the doors.

Ext. Kaminoan cloning facility - day

Thomas, Newt, and Minho run outside into the pouring rain. There are a few straggler clones hanging around just outside the facility, and the three urge them to get farther away.

Thomas

You don't understand - the whole thing's coming down!

The whole place is shaking like crazy now. Dust is thrown into the air, making them cough as they run. With a crash, one of the taller buildings falls.

CLOSE on the rubber band holding the switch up back in the reactor chamber. It trembles again, and for a second it looks like it might snap, but then the whole room glows with a bright bluish light as the reactor finally overloads completely.

Back outside the cloning facility, there's a huge explosion. The clones are thrown into the water surrounding the facility, and frantically swim to avoid the debris being thrown into the water around them, threatening to pull them down to the bottom.

Newt, Thomas, and Minho regroup at the surface, swimming together away from the cloning facility, which is in the last throes of destruction.

They keep swimming, and eventually reach a small platform, surrounded by water. It doesn't seem to be near any main structures; it might be a landing pad, with connections via underwater tunnels to somewhere in the city.

Thomas clambers onto the platform, then turns and helps Newt and Minho up. Minho immediately flops down, breathing hard. He's had a very tiring day. Newt bends over, resting his arms on his knees, coughing.

Thomas

Well. Looks like we got out just in time. That wasn't so bad, was it?

Newt coughs harder. It sounds like he's having trouble breathing. Then he collapses.

Minho jumps up, and he and Thomas go over to Newt to see what's wrong. Peeking out of the neck of his clone trooper armor, they can see a bright red rash.

Newt

(still coughing)

I'm sorry... I didn't tell you... I was afraid... you wouldn't let me help...

Minho cradles Newt's head in his lap, trying to comfort him. Newt turns on his side to help with the coughing, which does subside for the moment.

Minho

(softly)

Don't worry - just breathe for now, okay? Don't try to talk.

Minho looks up at Thomas, and they both stare at each other in utter despair.

Thomas

(quietly, desperately)

Where are Gally and Fry?

Minho

They might not be back for hours... we didn't plan for...

He doesn't finish his sentence, but they both understand. They didn't plan for Newt falling ill with the Flare. He might not even have a few hours - Winston only made it longer than that with extensive medical treatment.

Thomas

There has to be something we can do...

Minho takes a deep breath.

Minho

There's something I can try... I have no idea if it'll work, or if I even have the energy left to do it... but it might be our only option.

He closes his eyes, concentrating. Thomas stares and looks like he wants to ask what Minho is doing, but doesn't want to break his concentration.

CLOSE on Minho as he casts his mind out, searching.

Int. Venator-class Star Destroyer, bridge - outer space

CLOSE on Brenda - she also has her eyes closed. Suddenly, they flash open, and she gasps.

Jorge

What?

Brenda

(frowning)

I felt something...

Jorge

You mean like...

Brenda nods, and closes her eyes again, focusing, listening with more than her ears.

Ext. Kaminoan cloning facility - day

Minho lets out the breath he's been holding. He has done all he can - he's out of juice.

Thomas

How will we know if it worked?

Minho

If they show up, I guess.

Thomas

Who?

Minho

You'll see when they get here. Or maybe you won't, and I'm an idiot.

He looks down at Newt and gently strokes his hair.

Some time later - more than a few minutes, but less than an hour - a shuttle appears, coming down from the sky and landing next to them. Minho and Thomas watch without moving, waiting to see if it is friend or foe.

The shuttle door opens, and it's Brenda and Jorge. Minho and Thomas exclaim with joy at the sight of them, and they run over to help carry Newt aboard.

Thomas

How did you find us?

Brenda

(grinning)

Ask Minho.

Thomas looks at Minho, who shrugs.

Minho

I wasn't sure it would work. I've never been able to do it with anyone who wasn't Newt, and especially from so far away...

Thomas

Wait... what do you mean, anyone who wasn't Newt? So you've done this before, with Newt? What...

Newt

(voice rough from coughing)

How did you think we were winning all those games of Cahoots?

Thomas looks back and forth between Minho and Newt, slack jawed.

Newt

I can't do everything Minho can, though. Just the one thing, really. And we mostly used it for stupid stuff, like winning stupid games.

Thomas

You mean... Ben was right?! You actually were reading each other's minds?

Even Newt laughs a little at this, although the humor is undercut by the fact that it sets his coughing off again.

Int. Venator-class Star Destroyer - day

The shuttle transports them back to the Star Destroyer. They take Newt to the same room where the three of them had their chips removed. Minho and Brenda go inside with Newt, while Thomas and Jorge hang back in the hallway.

Thomas

Where's Rex?

Jorge

He's away on other business. We don't always travel together, anyway. It's... safer.

(changing the subject)

So, what's wrong with your friend, anyway?

Thomas

(dejected)

It's called the Flare. It's only contagious to other clones, don't worry.

Jorge

Ah, yes, even in the Outer Rim, we've heard of the Flare.

(he pauses)

And from what I've heard... I'm sorry, but I don't think your friend has long.

Thomas

(stubbornly)

There's still time. We can figure out a way to save him.

Thomas goes into the small room, seeing Newt has been hooked up to several machines. He also has an oxygen mask to help him breathe. His eyes are closed; it's unclear if he's conscious or not, but he doesn't seem to be very aware of his surroundings. It seems like he was given a sedative or something to help him relax or sleep. Brenda steps outside with Jorge, giving the three clones a little privacy.

Minho

(quietly, to Thomas)

What should we do? Even with all this stuff...

He waves his hand, indicating all the medical equipment Newt is attached to.

Minho

(cont'd)

...Winston still lasted less than a day.

(he pauses, tears gathering in his eyes)

I can't... Thomas, I can't lose him.

Thomas and Minho look at each other. Neither of them can lose him; it will destroy them both.

Thomas

We won't. We'll figure something out... I still have some of those files Jeff gave me. I can go through them... we'll figure out something.

Minho nods, but it's clear he doesn't have much hope for this plan.

Newt opens his eyes and blinks sleepily up at them. He reaches up and pulls the oxygen mask down enough to talk.

Newt

Don't worry... I've always known I was living on borrowed time. I'm just grateful for every second I got to spend with each of you... If there's one regret I have, it's that we didn't get enough time together with all three of us...

Thomas shakes his head.

Thomas

We're not done... we'll have more time together, the three of us. I'll do whatever I have to do to make sure of it.

Minho

(nervous)

Thomas...

Thomas looks at him, at first thinking Minho is frustrated with him for being unrealistic, but then realizing Minho is trying to show him something. Something on his arm.

Minho

(softly)

Thomas, look...

There's a bright red rash on Minho's arm. It looks like it's only a matter of time until Minho is in the same situation as Newt.

Thomas

(horrified)

No. No, it can't be.

Minho actually looks relieved.

Minho

It's okay, Thomas. At least...

(looking down at Newt)

...at least I won't have to live without him very long.

(looking back up at Thomas)

I'm sorry to leave you alone, though.

Thomas is in shock. They're both going to die and leave him all alone, his only consolation the fact that he will most likely soon follow them.

Thomas

I have to.. I can fix this. I'll figure it out. I just need the files... the files J3 sent me...

He stumbles out of the room, running to get away from the awful truth.

Thomas finds an empty room and pulls out the screen J3F4 gave him earlier. J3F4 never finished downloading the files, so the full 12,855 aren't there, only a small fraction of them. Thomas sighs and begins flicking through directories before he notices something.

There's a small icon in the top right corner, blinking, sort of like an email notification. Thomas presses it, and it opens up to a messaging inbox. There's one new message. It's from J3F4, sent earlier that day. Thomas checks the time - it was sent less than two hours ago. He realizes what this means: J3F4 must have sent this just before the cloning center blew up.

Thomas opens the message. There is nothing in the body of the message, but there is an attachment. Thomas opens the attachment.

It's a file from the Kaminoan records on the clones. The writing is in Aurebesh, but Thomas reads anything important out loud. At first glance, it seems to have nothing to do with the Flare; but Thomas notices one phrase in particular: 'kill switch'.

Thomas

(reading aloud)

This will act as a biological kill switch, in the event the clones, as a group or as individuals, escape the control of the Empire, or otherwise become unmanageable.

Thomas has to read it multiple times to make sense of it, his brow furrowing in concentration as he tries to parse the formal language.

Once it sinks in - that this is the proof he was looking for, the Flare was planned by the Kaminoans to control the clone population - he keeps reading, faster now. Sentences and phrases jump out as he reads them: 'controlled germline deletion of interferon receptors'; 'more susceptible to viral infection'; 'weekly injections to to temporarily infuse mRNA'; 'effectively eliminate all rogue clones'; and the picture becomes clearer.

Another thing stands out to him: Thomas sees the author of this research paper, the one that is proposing this horrible method, that has evidently been adopted by the Empire. The author of the paper is none other than Ava.

Thomas is shocked and horrified by what he has read, but this fact solidifies everything. Not only has Ava known the whole time the truth about the Flare, it was her idea in the first place.

Thomas

(whispering to himself)

Oh, no. I've killed them. I've killed them all.

He takes off running back down the hallway, to find Minho, Brenda, and Jorge, crowded into the room where Newt is lying unconscious.

Thomas

(panting from running)

It's not the virus. That's what J3 meant... it was in plain sight, but we were looking in the wrong place. It was never about the virus.

Minho

Thomas, what are you talking about?

Thomas

The Flare... it's just an ordinary virus. There's absolutely nothing special about it at all, that's why J3 couldn't isolate it when he did the scan of Winston. It's probably not even the same virus in every clone.

Jorge

Then why does it only affect clones?

Thomas

Because... When the Kaminoans engineered us, they deleted a gene that encodes an interferon receptor. I don't know exactly what that is, but it's something in our immune system - something that helps us fight viruses. That's why only clones get the Flare - because it was engineered into us, not the virus. Ever since generation 4, every clone has had this interferon receptor gene deleted.

Brenda

(frowning)

But then... Why don't you all get sick and die immediately? If you're unable to fight viruses, how do any of you survive past childhood?

Thomas

Because, they gave us injections of mRNA that replaced the interferon receptor gene - but only temporarily. We had to keep getting the injections, every week. So if a clone ever ran away, they would stop getting the injections, and get sick and die.

Minho

The vitamin shots!

Thomas

(despairing)

I was wrong. They weren't anything to do with the chips. They were the thing keeping us alive - and I told everyone to stop taking them. Winston is dead because of me, and Newt is...

Thomas looks about a second away from crying.

Minho

Thomas, you couldn't have known. And we all agreed - we thought the shots had something to do with the chips too, we all agreed to stop taking them.

Thomas

And now I've destroyed the cloning center and set thousands of clones loose in the galaxy, and they're all going to die, because of me.

Jorge

(looking thoughtful)

Not necessarily.

Thomas and Minho look to Jorge with wild hope in their eyes.

Jorge

(cont'd)

I'm no genetics expert, but I do have a few friends that know their way around a genome. And I'm sure they could figure out a way to splice your missing gene back in. I'll go put a call in right now.

Jorge leaves to send a message to his geneticist friends.

Minho

That's great, but what about Newt? He's already in septic shock, even if Jorge's friends figured out a procedure, he might not survive long enough to take it.

They all look at Newt, sleeping more or less peacefully, machines beeping and pulsing around him.

Brenda

(determined)

We'll do whatever we can to clear the infection. We have medication...

Minho

(shaking his head)

We tried that, with Winston... it seemed to help for a while, but he was too far gone.

Thomas

We can't give up!

Minho

I'm not giving up, I'm being realistic!

He looks at Newt, puts a gentle hand on Newt's shoulder.

Minho

(cont'd)

Nothing matters if he's not here anymore. So if he's not here, then I don't want to be, either.

Thomas

(quietly)

What about me? Don't I matter?

Minho looks at him intently. He looks sad and regretful, but not like he's changed his mind.

Minho

(softly)

I'm sorry, Thomas. I do care about you. But...

Thomas reaches out and takes Minho's free hand.

Thomas

It's okay. I understand.

With his remaining hand, Thomas holds Newt's other arm. The three of them form a small circle, unbroken.

Brenda

The Jedi taught me... that those we love never truly leave us. When they die, their Life Force joins the Cosmic Force, and in that way they live on. When new beings are born, their Life Force comes from the Cosmic Force, and so the cycle continues.

Minho

Brenda, I'm sorry, but I really don't care what your stupid monks told you about death. My... my friend is dying, and it doesn't matter if his essence will be floating around somewhere, spread throughout the galaxy, because he won't be here with me anymore. I won't be able to talk to him, or touch him, or... or anything, because he won't be here.

Brenda

But you're able to use the Force, to feel its presence in the galaxy. The Force flows through every living thing. Doesn't that bring you any comfort?

Minho stops, latching onto what she said.

Minho

The Force flows through every living thing?

Brenda

Yes... that's how we're able to use it to affect others, or to sense them, their emotions and thoughts, if we learn how.

Minho

What about viruses?

Brenda

What?

Minho

(more excited now)

What about viruses? If the Force flows through every living thing, does it also flow through viruses? Can we affect those?

Brenda

(finally seeing what he's getting at)

I don't know... I've never heard of anyone using the Force for anything like that. I have no idea if it would work...

Minho

I don't care if no one's ever done it before, or if it sounds crazy... I'm going to try it.

Brenda

Actually, I don't think it sounds crazy... or rather, I think it sounds just crazy enough to work.

Thomas moves aside, and together Brenda and Minho put their hands out over Newt and close their eyes, concentrating on feeling the Force moving through him, trying to differentiate it from the Force moving through the viruses infecting him.

For several seconds, they stay like that, and then Thomas sees that Newt seems to be glowing with a faint yellow light. Thomas inhales sharply, and Minho opens his eyes, but Brenda grabs Minho's hand.

Brenda

Don't lose focus, keep going.

Minho closes his eyes again, renewing his focus. After several more seconds, the glowing yellow light around Newt fades, and Brenda and Minho open their eyes.

Thomas

Now what? Is he healed?

Brenda

Even if we successfully killed all the virus, we won't know for a while. We'll have to wait and see if his body is able to recover from the damage already sustained. We can put him in a Bacta tank - that will accelerate the healing process.

They put Newt in a full-body Bacta tank, where he floats, still unconscious, breathing through a respirator. Thomas and Minho put their hands on the glass, wishing they could actually make contact with Newt, wishing they knew if he was going to survive.

While they are waiting, Brenda comes up to Minho.

Brenda

I can sense you have a lot of anger. If you're not careful, it will lead you to the Dark Side.

Minho

What's so bad about the Dark Side, if it helps me protect the people I love?

Brenda

I understand your feelings. Believe me, if there's anyone who can understand anger, and wanting to protect the people you love, it's me.

(she pauses)

I can help you... I can teach you what I know, if you want. I won't force you to follow the Jedi way. I couldn't even if I wanted to; the Jedi Order is finished. But you should at least learn to control your emotions, before they end up controlling you.

Minho

(hesitating)

Okay. I'll learn from you.

They continue waiting, watching to see if Newt shows any improvement. A series of shots of Brenda, Thomas, and Minho watching Newt to see if he is recovering, Jorge coming back from messaging his geneticist friends, the others filling him in on what happened.

Finally some good news - the rash on Newt's arm is visibly fading, thanks to the healing from the Bacta tank.

Minho

Should we try to contact Gally and Frypan, to let them know what happened?

Thomas

Well... I'd like to wait until we hear back from Jorge's friends, so we know if we have good news for them or not, but I guess we should fill them in so far.

Thomas and Minho find a communicator with a hologram projector, and manage to contact Gally with it. His face appears on the hologram, looking grim.

Gally

Have you heard?

Thomas

Heard - what, about the Flare? We were just calling to tell you about that.

Gally

No, about - what about the Flare?

Thomas

We figured out what the Flare is... we can tell you the whole story later, but we might have come up with a treatment. We'll know more after we hear back from some friends of a friend. If the treatment does work, we'll need to get it to as many clones as possible - we're all in danger now.

Gally looks thrown.

Gally

That's... I guess that's good news? I don't even know what to think anymore, there's just too much happening...

Thomas

Wait, what were you talking about? You asked if we had heard, heard about what?

Gally

The Empire - they're already working on a new army.

Minho and Thomas are both shocked into silence for a few seconds.

Thomas

What? But how? We only... It's only been a few hours, how could they possibly...?

Gally

(looking grim again)

Apparently they've been working on this backup plan in secret for a while now... not everyone in the Empire was satisfied with the performance of the clone army, so they've been...

He trails off, uncertain how to say it.

Gally

(cont'd)

...well, essentially kidnapping children, all over the galaxy, and brainwashing them, forcing them to become soldiers. They're calling them... Storm Troopers.

Thomas is stunned.

Thomas

So everything we did... destroying the cloning facility, everyone we lost...

Gally

...it was all for nothing.

(bitterly)

The Empire still has its grand army.

Only a few moments ago, they were so hopeful and optimistic, but now their hopes have been dashed. They can still save themselves, Newt, and their fellow clones, but everything they did for the good of the galaxy, to hurt the Empire - it was all useless. On this uncertain note...

Fade to black